Information and Misinformation: Israel, Antisemitism, and the Jewish People

Judaism is a religion, and it is also a people, a culture, and a shared history. While religious practice is central for many Jews, Jewish identity is not solely defined by belief. Jews share a common ancestry, cultural traditions, and languages such as Hebrew, Ladino, and Yiddish that have existed for generations.

The Jewish diaspora refers both to the historical exile of the majority of the Jewish people from their ancestral homeland in Judea and the Land of Israel over 2,500 years and to the reality of Jews living in communities around the world outside Israel. The word diaspora comes from ancient Greek, meaning “to scatter” — a term first used to describe the Jewish experience of exile.

Mizrahi Jews are Jews from Middle Eastern and North African countries such as Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Syria, Morocco, and Egypt. Mizrahi Jews possess rich Jewish traditions, culture, and history, and built communities in Arab and Muslim-majority countries dating back many centuries.

Ashkenazi Jews trace their origins to the ancient Judean people of the Land of Israel. Following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE and subsequent dispersions and exiles, Jewish communities spread across the Mediterranean, and eventually into Europe, settling primarily in the regions that are now Germany, France, and later Poland, Lithuania, and Russia. The term “Ashkenazi” comes from “Ashkenaz,” a medieval word referring to the region along the Rhine River in what is now western Germany and northern France.

Nearly all major research studies, including the Pew Research Center’s most recent survey of Jewish Americans, indicate that a significant majority of Jews around the world – but not all — identify as having a personal connection with Israel, including to the nation of Israel, the people of Israel, and Israel as the historic and current center of Jewish religious life.

Opposing Israeli government policies does not automatically make someone anti-Zionist or antisemitic. Like any country, Israel’s government can be subject to criticism, and individuals can disagree with its policies for a variety of reasons—without attacking the legitimacy of the state or the Jewish people (which does veer into anti-Zionism and antisemitism).