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Overview: The Jewish Communities in the World
The Jewish Faith is the most anicent of the Abrahamic religions, and by this time it is a religion of diasporic, largely urban communities:
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Judaism
Since the destruction of the Temple, the Jewish communities have mostly been displaced from their homeland and have settled in diasporic communities, where they specialized in a couple of professions. In very few places have the Jews become a majority of the population; rather, they are a visible urban minority, and in general they have adopted the language of the host country.
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Persian Jews(Parsim) can be found in, well Persia, and they specialized as merchants along the Silk Road. They speak a number of Judeo-Persian languages,which they write in Hebrew script. They can be found as far east as Bukhara and Samarqand
Himyaritic or Yemenite Jews (Temanim) are located in Himyar, where they form an important part of the society in the area. Their relations with the local Christians have been ambivalent in the past; in the present they live indistinct Jewish quarters but also a handful of entirely Jewish villages
Hejazi Jews have had a long tradition of presence in the western part of Arabia, with their major centres in Khaybar and Yathrib. They have been also in frequent contact with the Jewish communities of Israel
Babylonian Jews make up perhpas one of the largest Jewish communities worldwide. Based in Mesopotamia, the Jews of Nehardea and Pumbeditta have enjoyed considerable autonomy for a number of centuries. They have maintained good relations with the Zoroastrians and Nestorians as well. The language of the Babylonian Jews remains Jewish Babylonian Aramaic. The Babylonian Jews are one of the few communities to have an institutionalized religious head in the form of the Exilarch, who is the representant of the Jewish communities in relation to the Ilkhans (and within his jurisdiction are therefore also the communities of the Persian Jews).
Israeli Jews, located in their ancient homeland form a very small minority. However, Jewish presence continues to a limited degree in Hbron, southern Judea, Jerusalem, Safed and Tiberias, which are the major centres of Jewish presence in the Holy Land. These Jews are living mainly in distinct neighbourhoods of these cities, although a few Jewish families are alos living in villages in southern Judea.
Romaniote Jews can be found living in parts of the Rhomaic Empire, namely Antioch, Greek island and Paristrion. They have adopted a variant of Greek for everyday communication, and by this time are largely ignored by the Rhomaic authorities,
Italkim Jews can be found in the Italian Peninsula and largely dwell in the cities, where they specialize in distinct professions. A certain cultural divide between the northerners and southerners can still be felt, and the Jews in the south are renowned bankers.
Ashkenasi Jews can be found primarily in the Rhineland and live predominantly in the German cities such as Frankfurt, Speyer or Strasburg. They speak Yiddish, which can be classified as a dialect of German
Sephardic Jews are highly urbanized Jews of the Iberian Peninsula, concentrated predominantly in the cities and town of Bética; in some f them they make up to a quarter of the entire population. They are renown to be highly educated and to have contacts across the entire Mediterranean; many of them have been employed as advisors to city governors; others are known philosophers and scientists.Among themselves, they speak Ladino, a variant of the Bétican language
Tamasguin Jews of North Africa have been living in the area for centuries. They speak the Berber language largely, and have had a hard time ever since the Donatists felt that they need to spread the word of faith by sword. Many live in remote villages or (if in Afirkan or Mawretan lands) within the safety of the city walls.
Misri Jews are the Jewish community of Egypt, distinct for using Aramaic rather than Coptic as heir everyday tongue. Practically all of them can be found in Lower Egypt, and are especially concentrated in the major cities: Kashromi, Alexandria and Tamiat. The Misri Jews are highly integrated into the Kemetic society.
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Khazar Jews
The Khazar Jews can be found within the borders of the Golden Horde. Practically all of them identify themsleves as Khazars, and are of Turkic, not Hebrew origin. They can be found also in Crimea, but mainly in Dagestan, where they form the overwhelming population of the coastal region.
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Samaritans
Samaritans have long ago spearated from mainstream Judaism; it is beleived that Samaritans were the descendants of those Jews who were not deported to the Babylonian Captivity. Be it as it is, they form a disticnt community, which is tied specifically to the region of Samaria.
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Haymanot
The Haymanot, also known as Beta Israel or Ethiopian Jews have for centuries been living in the land of Semien in Ethiopia. They live in a compact area in more than 500 villages.
View attachment 537705
Judaism
Since the destruction of the Temple, the Jewish communities have mostly been displaced from their homeland and have settled in diasporic communities, where they specialized in a couple of professions. In very few places have the Jews become a majority of the population; rather, they are a visible urban minority, and in general they have adopted the language of the host country.
View attachment 537707
Persian Jews(Parsim) can be found in, well Persia, and they specialized as merchants along the Silk Road. They speak a number of Judeo-Persian languages,which they write in Hebrew script. They can be found as far east as Bukhara and Samarqand
Himyaritic or Yemenite Jews (Temanim) are located in Himyar, where they form an important part of the society in the area. Their relations with the local Christians have been ambivalent in the past; in the present they live indistinct Jewish quarters but also a handful of entirely Jewish villages
Hejazi Jews have had a long tradition of presence in the western part of Arabia, with their major centres in Khaybar and Yathrib. They have been also in frequent contact with the Jewish communities of Israel
Babylonian Jews make up perhpas one of the largest Jewish communities worldwide. Based in Mesopotamia, the Jews of Nehardea and Pumbeditta have enjoyed considerable autonomy for a number of centuries. They have maintained good relations with the Zoroastrians and Nestorians as well. The language of the Babylonian Jews remains Jewish Babylonian Aramaic. The Babylonian Jews are one of the few communities to have an institutionalized religious head in the form of the Exilarch, who is the representant of the Jewish communities in relation to the Ilkhans (and within his jurisdiction are therefore also the communities of the Persian Jews).
Israeli Jews, located in their ancient homeland form a very small minority. However, Jewish presence continues to a limited degree in Hbron, southern Judea, Jerusalem, Safed and Tiberias, which are the major centres of Jewish presence in the Holy Land. These Jews are living mainly in distinct neighbourhoods of these cities, although a few Jewish families are alos living in villages in southern Judea.
Romaniote Jews can be found living in parts of the Rhomaic Empire, namely Antioch, Greek island and Paristrion. They have adopted a variant of Greek for everyday communication, and by this time are largely ignored by the Rhomaic authorities,
Italkim Jews can be found in the Italian Peninsula and largely dwell in the cities, where they specialize in distinct professions. A certain cultural divide between the northerners and southerners can still be felt, and the Jews in the south are renowned bankers.
Ashkenasi Jews can be found primarily in the Rhineland and live predominantly in the German cities such as Frankfurt, Speyer or Strasburg. They speak Yiddish, which can be classified as a dialect of German
Sephardic Jews are highly urbanized Jews of the Iberian Peninsula, concentrated predominantly in the cities and town of Bética; in some f them they make up to a quarter of the entire population. They are renown to be highly educated and to have contacts across the entire Mediterranean; many of them have been employed as advisors to city governors; others are known philosophers and scientists.Among themselves, they speak Ladino, a variant of the Bétican language
Tamasguin Jews of North Africa have been living in the area for centuries. They speak the Berber language largely, and have had a hard time ever since the Donatists felt that they need to spread the word of faith by sword. Many live in remote villages or (if in Afirkan or Mawretan lands) within the safety of the city walls.
Misri Jews are the Jewish community of Egypt, distinct for using Aramaic rather than Coptic as heir everyday tongue. Practically all of them can be found in Lower Egypt, and are especially concentrated in the major cities: Kashromi, Alexandria and Tamiat. The Misri Jews are highly integrated into the Kemetic society.
View attachment 537710
Khazar Jews
The Khazar Jews can be found within the borders of the Golden Horde. Practically all of them identify themsleves as Khazars, and are of Turkic, not Hebrew origin. They can be found also in Crimea, but mainly in Dagestan, where they form the overwhelming population of the coastal region.
View attachment 537711
Samaritans
Samaritans have long ago spearated from mainstream Judaism; it is beleived that Samaritans were the descendants of those Jews who were not deported to the Babylonian Captivity. Be it as it is, they form a disticnt community, which is tied specifically to the region of Samaria.
View attachment 537713
Haymanot
The Haymanot, also known as Beta Israel or Ethiopian Jews have for centuries been living in the land of Semien in Ethiopia. They live in a compact area in more than 500 villages.
- Tomislav Addai
- Word Count: 810