Ashkenazi Jewish

Ashkenazi Jews are a Jewish ethnic group who have their earliest ancestors from the medieval Jewish communities of the Rhine in Germany from whence they spread to Central Europe and Eastern Europe. Ashkenazi Jews are the most numerous ethnic group among Jews, constituting approximately 75% of Jews worldwide.

Etymology

The term "Ashkenazi" refers to Jewish settlers who established communities along the Rhine river in Western Germany and in Northern France dating to the Middle Ages. Once there, they adapted traditions carried from Babylon, the Holy Land, and the Western Mediterranean to their new environment. The Ashkenazi religious rite developed in cities such as Mainz, Worms, and Troyes.

History

The history of the Ashkenazi Jews began in the Holy Roman Empire, around the turn of the first millennium. The Ashkenazi Jews were subject to many persecutions and expulsions throughout the Middle Ages, with many moving eastwards to Poland, Lithuania, and Russia, forming what would become the backbone of Eastern European Jewry.

Culture

Ashkenazi Jews have made significant contributions to the philosophical, political, scientific, and cultural fabric of the world. They have a rich cultural heritage, with their own unique traditions, languages, and cuisine.

Language

The Ashkenazi Jews traditionally spoke Yiddish, a language developed from Medieval German with influences from Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic languages and others. Yiddish was the common language of Ashkenazi Jews worldwide until the Holocaust, and is still spoken by some today.

Cuisine

Ashkenazi cuisine is based on the foods that were available in the temperate climate of Eastern Europe, as well as laws and customs governing what foods are fit for consumption (Kashrut). Some popular Ashkenazi dishes include Gefilte fish, Matzah ball soup, and Cholent.

Religion

Ashkenazi Jews have a distinct liturgy, different from those of Sephardi Jews and Mizrahi Jews. The Ashkenazi prayer rites, customs, liturgical practices, and Yiddish language all played a significant role in shaping modern Judaism.

Genetics

Studies have shown that Ashkenazi Jews are a clear, homogeneous genetic subgroup. They are closely related to each other than to other Jewish ethnic divisions.