The Jewish Diaspora

The Jewish Diaspora can be defined as the dispersion of Jewish culture and heritage. Historically, the Jewish Diaspora was the first documented ethnic diaspora and began in 587 BCE when Judea was conquered by the Babylonians (Kress). The Babylonians destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem believed to have been built by King Solomon and exiled prominent Jewish citizens in a period known as the Babylonian Captivity.

Since then, Jewish people have dispersed across the globe and leading to tremendous diversity. Currently there are 13.4 million Jews in the world; 5 million living in Israel and 8 million living in the diaspora (Kress). Across the globe, Jews face different challenges. For example, the estimate 6.4 million Jews living in North America struggle with increased rates of intermarriage and decreasing rates of conversion while Jews in Europe currently face near constant immigration due, in part, to the cultural milieu of a Post-Soviet world (Kress). Also, in Europe, more so than North America, many countries face anti-semitic incidents while Jews seek to establish a stronger Jewish community, like the more recent surge of Neo-Nazism after the creation of the EU or the 1994 bombing of Buenos Aires Jewish Community Center (Kress). In the Middle East, with the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, hundreds of thousands of refugees flooded back in a Zionist wave (Kress). In Africa, Jewish communities are incredibly efficient and cohesive (Kress). There is evidence of Jewish presence in Africa soon after the Babylonian captivity, primarily in Egypt and East Africa. In East Asia and Oceania, small populations of Jews exist, however, they exhibit stronger community ties and faith than some countries with larger populations (Kress).

Biblically and historically, Jewish faith is grounded in Israel, holy land considered to be that of Abraham (White). Religiously, it is part of Jewish mitzvah, or law, to make it back to Israel. While it is clear that Jews inhabit every part of the world today, religiously and socially, they are not truly "at home" (White). Adding to this homelessness, Jews have faced many hardships (to put it lightly) instigated by anti-semitic ideals with a basis in religious interpretation ("Christ killers") and the historical advancement of Jews (in 1933, 1% of German population was Jewish but 10% of German medical doctors were Jewish and 20% of German lawyers were Jewish). Because of the history of Jews, many have found it easy to discriminate or base personal misfortune on the fortune of the Jews. By examining the Jewish Diaspora, people have the ability to understand how a people group spreads across the globe while also perceiving the social, political and economic implications of such a dispersion.

• "The Jewish Diaspora - My Jewish Learning." The Jewish Diaspora - My Jewish Learning. Ed. Michael Kress. MyJewishLearning, 1 Jan. 2011. Web. 12 Feb. 2015. <http://www.myjewishlearning.com/history/Jewish_World_Today/Jews_Around_the_Globe.shtml?p=3>.
• White, L. Michael. "The Jewish Diaspora." Frontline. PBS, 1 Apr. 1998. Web. 23 Mar. 2015. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/portrait/diaspora.html>.
• The Western Wall. 2015. Travel, Jerusalem, Israel. By Dan Hallman.