Jews

Jewish people, also called Jews, are an ethnoreligious group and nation from ancient Israel and Judah. They usually follow the religion of Judaism, which is closely connected to their history and culture. Not all Jews practice Judaism, but many do.

The Jewish people began with the Israelites, who lived in the Southern Levant during the Iron Age. Over time, many Jews moved away from their original homes, forming communities around the world called the Jewish diaspora. Today, most Jews live in Israel or the United States, and Israel is the only country where Jews make up a large part of the population.

Jews have made important contributions to many areas, such as science, art, music, medicine, and religion. They helped shape Christianity and influenced the development of Islam. Because of their rich history and culture, Jews are an important part of the world's story.

Name and etymology

Main article: Jew (word)

The word "Jew" comes from the Hebrew word Yehudi, which means one person, and Yehudim for many people. Other languages have their own versions of this word, like Djudio in Ladino and Yid in Yiddish.

Scholars think the name "Judah" might have come from an old area full of valleys. Over time, the name changed from "Israelites" to "Jews". The English word "Jew" has roots in many languages, including Middle English, Old French, and Latin. Some experts suggest using "Judean" to describe people from that area, while others keep using "Jew" to talk about people who follow Judaism.

Identity

Main articles: Who is a Jew?, Jewish identity, and Jewish peoplehood

Jews have a special identity that combines ideas of a nation, a group of people, a religion, and a culture. Because of this mix, deciding who is a Jew can depend on whether you think about it from a religious or national view.

Today, Jews usually include three groups: people born into Jewish families, even if they don’t practice the religion; people with some Jewish ancestors, even if they aren’t fully Jewish by birth; and people who have chosen to join the Jewish religion through conversion. In the past, being Jewish was often decided by having a Jewish mother, a rule that goes back many centuries. This rule was part of Jewish religious law.

Origins

Further information: Canaan, Israelites, Yahwism, Origins of Judaism, and History of ancient Israel and Judah

The Jewish people began with tribes called the Israelites, who lived in a land called Canaan long ago. Today’s Jewish people are mostly descendants of people from the southern Israelite kingdom called Judah.

The Jewish story, told in old books, starts with families like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their wives. Jacob had twelve sons, who became leaders of twelve groups called tribes. Later, Jacob’s family moved to Egypt, where their numbers grew. They left Egypt, led by Moses, and returned to Canaan.

Over time, the Israelites formed two kingdoms: Israel in the north and Judah in the south. The kingdom of Judah included the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and part of Levi. Many people from the northern kingdom later joined Judah.

Historians study old writings and dig up old objects to learn more about this time. Some believe the Bible tells a true story, while others think it is more like a story that helps explain who the Israelites were. Both groups agree that the Israelites came from people already living in Canaan and developed their own special traditions and beliefs.

Scientists have studied the DNA of Jewish people around the world. They found that most Jewish people share a common ancestry that goes back to the Middle East. Even though Jewish communities live far apart, they still share many cultural, traditional, and language traits.

History

Main article: Jewish history

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Jewish history.

Ancient Israel and Judah

Further information: History of ancient Israel and Judah

The oldest records of a people called Israel come from the Merneptah Stele, dating to around 1200 BCE. This text refers to the Israelites, who lived in the central highlands of Canaan. We can see from archaeology that hundreds of small settlements were constructed between the 12th and 10th centuries BCE. The Israelites were different from nearby groups because of their religious practices, prohibition on intermarriage, and focus on family history.

In the 10th century BCE, two Israelite kingdoms formed—the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah. Both shared similar traditions, languages, and beliefs. Israel, with its capital in Samaria, was larger and became a regional power. Judah, centered in Jerusalem, was smaller but more stable, ruled for centuries by the House of David.

Around 720 BCE, the Kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Many Israelites were exiled to Mesopotamia. Judah continued under Assyrian influence until it was conquered by the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 587 BCE after a revolt in Judah. Jerusalem and the First Temple were destroyed, and many leaders were exiled to Babylon.

Second Temple period

Further information: Second Temple period and Jewish–Roman wars

The Persian ruler Cyrus the Great allowed Jewish exiles to return to Judea in 538 BCE. Under leaders like Zerubbabel and Joshua the Priest, they rebuilt the Second Temple around 521–516 BCE. Judea became a province of the Persian Empire.

Later, Judea was ruled by several empires, including the Achaemenids, Alexander the Great, and the Seleucid Empire. The Maccabean Revolt led to an independent Jewish state from 110 to 63 BCE. In 63 BCE, the Romans took control. From 37 BCE to 6 CE, Jewish leaders like the Herodian dynasty governed under Roman oversight.

The Jewish–Roman wars in the first and second centuries CE greatly changed Jewish life. The First Jewish–Roman War (66–73/74 CE) ended with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. Later, the Bar Kokhba revolt (132–136 CE) was crushed by the Romans, leading to major changes in Jewish life and the end of Jewish political independence in the region for nearly two thousand years.

The loss of the Temple changed Jewish religious practices. Worship shifted to prayer, Torah study, and gatherings in synagogues. Different religious groups disappeared, and Pharisaic traditions became the basis of later Jewish practice.

Babylon and Rome

Further information: Rabbinic period, History of the Jews in the Roman Empire, and Talmudic academies in Babylonia

Jewish communities existed outside Judea long before 70 CE. In Mesopotamia, records from the time of Nebuchadnezzar II show Jewish exiles. In Egypt, Jewish communities were present since the 4th century BCE. Over time, Jewish communities spread across the Roman Empire and beyond.

After the Bar Kokhba revolt, Jewish life in Judea never fully recovered. By the fourth century CE, the center of Jewish life moved to Galilee. Important religious texts like the Mishnah and the Jerusalem Talmud were written there.

In Mesopotamia, under Persian and later Sasanian rule, Jewish communities thrived. The Babylonian Talmud, a key Jewish religious text, was compiled there between the 3rd and 6th centuries.

Middle Ages

Further information: History of European Jews in the Middle Ages, Mizrahi Jews, and Sephardi Jews

During the Middle Ages, Jewish communities spread across Europe and the Middle East. In Europe, Ashkenazi Jews lived in areas like France and Germany. Sephardi Jews settled in Spain and Portugal. Mizrahi Jews lived in the Middle East and North Africa. Other groups, like Romaniote Jews, also existed.

Jewish life varied greatly depending on the region. In some places, Jews faced unfair treatment. In others, they helped in areas like science, medicine, and writing. For example, in Spain under Muslim rule, Jewish scholars made important contributions to many areas of knowledge.

Early modern period

Further information: Ottoman Jewry, Hasidic Judaism, Misnagdim, and Haskalah

After being forced to leave Spain and Portugal in the late 1400s, many Jews moved to the Ottoman Empire, where new communities formed in places like Istanbul and Thessaloniki. In Eastern Europe, Poland became a major center for Jewish life.

New religious movements also emerged. In the 18th century, Hasidism began in Eastern Europe, focusing on spiritual practices. In Western Europe, the Haskalah encouraged education and joining broader society.

Modern period and the State of Israel

Further information: Jewish emancipation, Zionism, The Holocaust, and History of Israel (1948–present)

In the late 1800s, many Jews in Europe faced unfair treatment. This led to the rise of Zionism, a movement to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Theodor Herzl, often called the father of political Zionism, helped start this movement.

During World War II, the Nazi regime in Germany carried out terrible actions against Jews. This led to stronger support for a Jewish state.

On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the creation of the State of Israel. This began a new chapter in Jewish history, though conflicts with neighboring countries continue.

Culture

Main article: Jewish culture

The Jewish people and their religion, Judaism, are closely linked. Many people who choose to become Jewish are welcomed, though sometimes they face questions if they do not follow Jewish traditions. Becoming Jewish is a big step and not very common. Many who convert are from mixed families or partners of Jewish people.

Judaism is more than just a religion; it is also a way of living. This makes it hard to separate Judaism from Jewish culture and identity. Over time, in many places—such as ancient Greece, Europe, Spain and Portugal, North Africa, the Middle East, India, China, the United States, and Israel—Jewish culture grew in unique ways. These changes came from inside Judaism, from Jews meeting new cultures, and from the daily lives of Jewish communities. This created many different Jewish cultures, each special to its own group.

Main article: Judaism

See also: Jewish atheism and Jewish secularism

Main article: Jewish languages

Hebrew is an important language in Judaism, used in religious services and writings. It was also spoken by everyday Jewish people for many years. Later, Aramaic became another language for Jews in Judea. Jews in different places spoke Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic, depending on where they lived. Jews created their own versions of local languages, like Yiddish in Central Europe and Ladino in Spain. Many old Jewish languages are used less today, partly because of big changes in history and people moving to new countries.

Hebrew was brought back as a spoken language by Eliezer ben Yehuda in Palestine in 1881. Today, Hebrew is the main language of Israel. Many Jewish people around the world also speak English, and Hebrew is not known by all Jews. The most common languages Jews speak today are Hebrew, English, and Russian. Some Jews also speak French, Spanish, and other Romance languages. Yiddish was once widely spoken, but it is used less now.

Main article: Jewish leadership

There is no single leader for all Jewish people. Different groups and organizations guide parts of the Jewish community on various topics. In many countries, there is a Chief Rabbi who represents the Jewish people there. Some Jewish groups, like Hasidic Jews, follow leaders from their families, but there is no one leader for all of them. Many Jews believe that a future leader called the Messiah will bring Jews and the world together.

Demographics

Jews are an ethnoreligious group from ancient Israel and Judah. They have traditionally followed Judaism, which is closely tied to their identity. Over time, Jewish communities have spread across the world, forming groups based on where their ancestors lived.

Today, the largest Jewish communities are in Israel and the United States. In Israel, Jews are the majority, while in the United States, they are a significant minority. Smaller communities exist in many other countries, including Canada, Argentina, Brazil, France, and the United Kingdom.

Throughout history, Jewish populations have faced challenges such as persecution and forced migration. These events have shaped Jewish identity and led to the formation of the Jewish diaspora—the communities of Jews living outside of Israel. Despite these challenges, Jewish communities continue to keep their traditions and identity alive around the world.

Contributions

See also: Lists of Jews

Jewish people have helped shape many parts of the world, especially Western culture. They have made important contributions to science and technology, philosophy, ethics, and literature. Jewish traditions also influence art, music, humor, theatre, cuisine, and medicine.

Many Jewish people have started movements in politics and religion. They also wrote parts of important books that helped create Christianity and Islam. A large number of Nobel Prize winners come from families with Jewish roots. Helping others through giving is also an important part of many Jewish groups.