The worldwide Jewish population experienced a marked decline during the 20th century due to the murder of six million Jewish people during the Holocaust, the genocide perpetrated by Nazi Germany and its allies during World War II. While there were almost 17 million Jewish people alive before the Holocaust, or the Shoah as it is known in Hebrew, after the war this was only around 11.5 million people. By using several different fertility scenarios, demographers have been able to reconstruct what the Jewish population would be in modern times if the genocide of Jewish people had not happened. In scenarios where there was a low or very low fertility rate, the Jewish population in 2000 would be in the range of 26 to 33 million people, double what it was in reality. In a scenario where the population growth rate was the same as that observed in the Jewish population after WWII, which was extremely low, the global Jewish population would have risen to over 20 million people.

Throughout history, the displacement and migration of Jewish populations has been a repeating theme. In ancient times, the worlds Jewish population was concentrated in the Middle East, especially around Judaism's spiritual homeland in present-day Israel. However, the population distribution of the world's Jewry began to shift in the Middle Ages, with an increasing share living in Europe. Initially, Western Europe (particularly France, Italy, and Spain) had the largest Jewish populations, before they then migrated eastward in later centuries. Between the 18th and mid-20th centuries, over half of the worl'd Jews lived in Europe, with over 80 percent of these living in Eastern Europe.

Poland had become a refuge for Jews fleeing persecution in the Middle Ages, although shifting borders and foreign influence meant that long-term security was never fully attained, and a series of pogroms in the Russian Empire in the 1800s, and rising anti-Semitism in Central Europe in the early-1900s contributred to waves of migration to the United States and Israel during this time. After the Holocaust saw the genocide of up to six million Jews (over one third of the world's Jewish population), the share of Jews living in Europe dropped drastically, and emmigration outside of Europe increased. Today, the United States has the world's largest Jewish population in the world at around 7.3 million people, just ahead of Israel with 7.1 million.

The two countries with the greatest shares of the world's Jewish population are the United States and Israel. The United States had been a hub of Jewish immigration since the nineteenth century, as Jewish people sought to escape persecution in Europe by emigrating across the Atlantic. The Jewish population in the U.S. is largely congregated in major urban areas, such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, with the New York metropolitan area being the city with the second largest Jewish population worldwide, after Tel Aviv, Israel. Israel is the world's only officially Jewish state, having been founded in 1948 following the first Arab-Israeli War. While Jews had been emigrating to the holy lands since the nineteenth century, when they were controlled by the Ottoman Empire, immigration increased rapidly following the establishment of the state of Israel. Jewish communities in Eastern Europe who had survived the Holocaust saw Israel as a haven from persecution, while the state encouraged immigration from Jewish communities in other regions, notably the Middle East & North Africa. Smaller Jewish communities remain in Europe in countries such as France, the UK, and Germany, and in other countries which were hotspots for Jewish migration in the twentieth century, such as Canada and Argentina.

The world's Jewish population has had a complex and tumultuous history over the past millennia, regularly dealing with persecution, pogroms, and even genocide. The legacy of expulsion and persecution of Jews, including bans on land ownership, meant that Jewish communities disproportionately lived in urban areas, working as artisans or traders, and often lived in their own settlements separate to the rest of the urban population. This separation contributed to the impression that events such as pandemics, famines, or economic shocks did not affect Jews as much as other populations, and such factors came to form the basis of the mistrust and stereotypes of wealth (characterized as greed) that have made up anti-Semitic rhetoric for centuries. Development since the Middle Ages The concentration of Jewish populations across the world has shifted across different centuries. In the Middle Ages, the largest Jewish populations were found in Palestine and the wider Levant region, with other sizeable populations in present-day France, Italy, and Spain. Later, however, the Jewish disapora became increasingly concentrated in Eastern Europe after waves of pogroms in the west saw Jewish communities move eastward. Poland in particular was often considered a refuge for Jews from the late-Middle Ages until the 18th century, when it was then partitioned between Austria, Prussia, and Russia, and persecution increased. Push factors such as major pogroms in the Russian Empire in the 19th century and growing oppression in the west during the interwar period then saw many Jews migrate to the United States in search of opportunity.

The average for 2013 based on 21 countries was 4.3 percent. The highest value was in Israel: 76.2 percent and the lowest value was in Hungary: 0.2 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2013. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

This statistic shows the top 25 countries in the world with the largest number of Jewish population in 2010. In 2010, there were living about 5.7 million Jews in the United States.

In the Middle Ages, it is believed the largest Jewish populations in the world were found in Asia, particularly across the Middle East. Of the estimated total Jewish population of 1.2 million people, over 80 percent are thought to have lived in Asia, while 13 percent lived in Europe, and the remaining six precent lived in (North) Africa. The largest populations were found on the Arabian peninsula, as well as Iran and Iraq, while the Near East (here referring to the Levant region) had a much smaller population, despite being the spiritual homeland of the Jewish people.

These figures are based on the records of Benjamin of Tudela, a Jewish traveller from the Middle Ages who provided one of the most comprehensive collections of population statistics from the period. Benjamin's writings not only recorded the number of Jews living across this part of the world, but also gave an insight into societal structures and the ordinary daily lives within Jewish communities in the medieval period. The source providing these figures, however, has adjusted some of the statistics to account for known populations that were missing from Benjamin of Tudela's records, especially in Europe and Asia.

The Holocaust was the systematic extermination of Europe's Jewish population in the Second World War, during which time, up to six million Jews were murdered as part of Nazi Germany's "Final Solution to the Jewish Question". In the context of the Second World War, the term "Holocaust" is traditionally used to reference the genocide of Europe's Jews, although this coincided with the Nazi regime's genocide and ethnic cleansing of an additional eleven million people deemed "undesirable" due to their ethnicity, beliefs, disability or sexuality (among others). During the Holocaust, Poland's Jewish population suffered the largest number of fatalities, with approximately three million deaths. Additionally, at least one million Jews were murdered in the Soviet Union, while Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Yugoslavia also lost the majority of their respective pre-war Jewish populations. The Holocaust in Poland In the interwar period, Europe's Jewish population was concentrated in the east, with roughly one third living in Poland; this can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when thousands of Jews flocked to Eastern Europe to escape persecution. At the outbreak of the Second World War, it is estimated that there were 3.4 million Jews living in Poland, which was approximately ten percent of the total population. Following the German invasion of Poland, Nazi authorities then segregated Jews in ghettos across most large towns and cities, and expanded their network of concentration camps throughout the country. In the ghettos, civilians were deprived of food, and hundreds of thousands died due to disease and starvation; while prison labor was implemented under extreme conditions in concentration camps to fuel the German war effort. In Poland, six extermination camps were also operational between December 1941 and January 1945, which saw the mass extermination of approximately 2.7 million people over the next three years (including many non-Poles, imported from other regions of Europe). While concentration camps housed prisoners of all backgrounds, extermination camps were purpose-built for the elimination of the Jewish race, and over 90% of their victims were Jewish. The majority of the victims in these extermination camps were executed by poison gas, although disease, starvation and overworking were also common causes of death. In addition to the camps and ghettos, SS death squads (Einsatzgruppen) and local collaborators also committed widespread atrocities across Eastern Europe. While the majority of these atrocities took place in the Balkan, Baltic and Soviet regions, they were still prevalent in Poland (particularly during the liquidation of the ghettos), and the Einsatzgruppen alone are estimated to have killed up to 1.3 million Jews throughout the Holocaust. By early 1945, Soviet forces had largely expelled the German armies from Poland and liberated the concentration and extermination camps; by this time, Poland had lost roughly ninety percent of its pre-war Jewish population, and suffered approximately three million further civilian and military deaths. By 1991, Poland's Jewish population was estimated to be just 15 thousand people, while there were fewer than two thousand Jews recorded as living in Poland in 2018.

The Bene Israel Jewish community from West India is a unique population whose history before the 18th century remains largely unknown. Bene Israel members consider themselves as descendants of Jews, yet the identity of Jewish ancestors and their arrival time to India are unknown, with speculations on arrival time varying between the 8th century BCE and the 6th century CE. Here, we characterize the genetic history of Bene Israel by collecting and genotyping 18 Bene Israel individuals. Combining with 486 individuals from 41 other Jewish, Indian and Pakistani populations, and additional individuals from worldwide populations, we conducted comprehensive genome-wide analyses based on FST, principal component analysis, ADMIXTURE, identity-by-descent sharing, admixture linkage disequilibrium decay, haplotype sharing and allele sharing autocorrelation decay, as well as contrasted patterns between the X chromosome and the autosomes. The genetics of Bene Israel individuals resemble local Indian populations, while at the same time constituting a clearly separated and unique population in India. They are unique among Indian and Pakistani populations we analyzed in sharing considerable genetic ancestry with other Jewish populations. Putting together the results from all analyses point to Bene Israel being an admixed population with both Jewish and Indian ancestry, with the genetic contribution of each of these ancestral populations being substantial. The admixture took place in the last millennium, about 19–33 generations ago. It involved Middle-Eastern Jews and was sex-biased, with more male Jewish and local female contribution. It was followed by a population bottleneck and high endogamy, which can lead to increased prevalence of recessive diseases in this population. This study provides an example of how genetic analysis advances our knowledge of human history in cases where other disciplines lack the relevant data to do so.

The Jewish population of Europe decreased dramatically during the 20th century, as millions of Jews were killed during the Holocaust of the Second World War, while millions of others emigrated to escape persecution (notably to Israel and the U.S.). Some estimates suggest that the total number of Jews in Europe in 1933 was approximately 9.5 million people, with the majority of these living in Eastern Europe. Jews were a minority in most countries, however they still made up a significant portion of the population in countries such as Hungary, Poland and Romania. Following the war however, the Jewish populations in these countries dropped drastically, and by the end of the century they made up just 0.1 percent or less in several countries.

Global Religious Demographics

Global religious demographics over time

By Throwback Thursday [source]

About this dataset

The dataset contains information on a wide range of religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Shintoism, Baha'i Faith, Taoism, Confucianism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Syncretic Religions (religious practices that blend elements from multiple faiths), Animism (belief in spiritual beings in nature), Non-Religious individuals or those without any religious affiliation.

For each religion and region/country combination recorded in the dataset we have the following information:

• Total population: The total population of the region or country.
• Religious affiliation percentages: The percentages of the population that identify with specific religious affiliations.
• Subgroup populations/percentages: The populations or percentages within specific denominations or sects of each religion.

The dataset also provides additional variables like Year and State Name (for regional data) for further analysis.

How to use the dataset

• Understanding the Columns

  The dataset contains several columns with different categories of information. Here's a brief explanation of some important columns:

  • Year: The year in which the data was recorded.
  • Total Population: The total population of a country or region.
  • State Name (StateNme): The name of the state or region.

  Each religion has specific columns associated with it, such as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Taoism, Shintoism etc., representing its percentage and population for each category/denomination within that religion.

• Selecting Specific Data

  If you are interested in exploring data related to a particular religion or geographic location:

  • To filter data by Religion: Identify relevant columns associated with that religion such as 'Christianity', 'Buddhism', 'Islam', etc., and extract their respective percentage and population values for analysis.

    Example: If you want to analyze Christianity specifically, extract columns related to Christianity like 'Christianity (Percent)', 'Christianity (Population)', etc.

    Note: There might be multiple columns related to a specific religion indicating different categories or denominations within that religion.

  • To filter data by Geographic Location: Utilize the 'State Name' column ('StateNme') to segregate data corresponding to different states/regions.

    Example: If you want to analyze religious demographics for a particular state/region like California or India:

    i) Filter out rows where State Name is equal to California or India.

    ii) Extract relevant columns associated with your selected religion as mentioned above.

• Finding Trends and Insights

  Once you have selected the specific data you are interested in, examine patterns and trends over time or across different regions.

  • Plotting data using visualizations: Use graphical tools such as line charts, bar charts, or pie charts to visualize how religious demographics have changed over the years or vary across different regions.

  • Analyzing population proportions: By comparing the percentage values of different religions for a given region or over time, you can gather insights into changes in religious diversity.

• Comparing Religions

  If you wish to compare multiple religions:

Research Ideas

• Comparing religious affiliations across different countries or regions: With data on various religions such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, etc., researchers can compare the religious affiliations of different countries or regions. This can help in understanding the cultural and religious diversity within different parts of the world.
• Exploring the growth or decline of specific religions: By examining population numbers for specific religions such as Jainism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism, etc., this dataset can be used to investigate the growth or decline of these religious groups over time. Researchers can analyze factors contributing to their popularity or decline in particular regions or countries

Acknowledgements

If you use this dataset in your research, please credit the original authors. Data Source

License

See the dataset description for more information.

Columns

File: ThrowbackDataThursday 201912 - Religion.csv | Column name...

Kosher Meat Market Outlook

As per our latest research, the global kosher meat market size reached USD 31.2 billion in 2024, and the market is projected to grow at a notable CAGR of 4.7% over the forecast period. By 2033, the global kosher meat market is expected to attain a value of USD 47.1 billion. This robust growth trajectory is primarily driven by the rising demand for high-quality, ethically produced meat products, combined with the increasing awareness and adoption of kosher dietary standards among both Jewish and non-Jewish populations worldwide.

The growth of the kosher meat market is underpinned by several critical factors. Firstly, there is a significant surge in consumer preference for food safety, traceability, and ethical production practices. Kosher meat, which adheres to strict religious and hygienic guidelines, is perceived as a safer and more trustworthy option compared to conventional meat products. This perception is not limited to the Jewish community; rather, it has expanded to include health-conscious consumers globally who associate kosher certification with higher standards of quality and food safety. Additionally, the rising incidence of foodborne illnesses and contamination scandals in the broader meat industry have further accelerated the shift towards kosher-certified products, as consumers seek reassurance regarding the origins and handling of their food.

Another major driver for the kosher meat market is the globalization of food culture and the proliferation of specialty diets. As international travel, migration, and cultural exchange increase, so does the exposure to and acceptance of kosher dietary laws. This has led to a broader customer base for kosher meat, including Muslims who find kosher slaughter methods compatible with halal requirements, as well as vegetarians occasionally seeking ethically produced meat. Furthermore, the growing number of kosher restaurants, delis, and food service providers has created additional demand, particularly in urban centers and areas with large Jewish populations. This trend is further supported by the expansion of kosher certification agencies, which have made it easier for producers and retailers to access and serve these niche markets.

Technological advancements and innovation in supply chain management have also played a pivotal role in the expansion of the kosher meat market. Enhanced logistics, cold chain infrastructure, and digital traceability solutions have made it possible to maintain the integrity of kosher certification from slaughterhouse to consumer. This has enabled kosher meat producers to reach wider markets, including remote regions and countries with limited local production. The rise of e-commerce and online retail platforms has further facilitated access to kosher meat products, allowing consumers to conveniently purchase certified products regardless of their location. This combination of technological progress and evolving consumer preferences is expected to sustain the market’s momentum well into the next decade.

From a regional perspective, North America remains the dominant market for kosher meat, accounting for the largest share due to its sizable Jewish population, established regulatory frameworks, and high consumer awareness. However, Europe and the Asia Pacific region are rapidly emerging as significant growth areas, driven by increasing multiculturalism, rising disposable incomes, and the proliferation of specialty food retailers. The Middle East & Africa region, while comparatively smaller in terms of market size, is witnessing steady growth due to religious and cultural factors. Latin America is also showing promising potential, particularly in countries with expanding Jewish communities and growing demand for specialty meat products. Overall, the kosher meat market is poised for sustained growth, fueled by a combination of demographic, cultural, and technological trends.

Product Type Analysis

The kosher meat market is segmented by product type into beef, poultry, lamb

Kosher Ready Meals Market Outlook

As per our latest research, the global kosher ready meals market size reached USD 14.2 billion in 2024, marking a robust presence in the convenience food sector. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2025 to 2033, reaching an estimated USD 27.7 billion by 2033. This growth is primarily driven by increasing consumer demand for convenient, high-quality, and ethically prepared food products, alongside a rising awareness of kosher dietary laws among both Jewish and non-Jewish populations worldwide.

One of the most significant growth factors for the kosher ready meals market is the expanding consumer base that seeks out kosher-certified products for perceived health, safety, and quality benefits. While kosher foods are traditionally consumed by Jewish communities, the market has witnessed a notable surge in demand from health-conscious individuals and those with specific dietary requirements, such as lactose intolerance or food allergies. Kosher certification, which involves stringent quality controls, appeals to these consumers by offering a level of assurance regarding food safety and ingredient transparency. This broadening of the consumer base has resulted in increased product innovation, with manufacturers introducing a diverse range of kosher ready meals to cater to various tastes and dietary preferences.

Another critical driver is the rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles, especially in developed regions, which have fueled the demand for convenient meal solutions. With busy schedules and a growing number of dual-income households, consumers are increasingly turning to ready-to-eat meals that save time without compromising on quality or religious observance. The rise in single-person households and the growing trend of on-the-go consumption further bolster the demand for kosher ready meals. Additionally, advancements in food processing and packaging technologies have improved the shelf life and nutritional value of these products, making them more appealing to a broader audience and supporting market expansion.

The globalization of food trade and the proliferation of international cuisines have also contributed to the growth of the kosher ready meals market. The availability of a wide variety of kosher ready meals, spanning Sephardic, Ashkenazi, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cuisines, has attracted a diverse consumer demographic. This trend is particularly evident in multicultural urban centers, where consumers seek authentic ethnic flavors alongside the assurance of kosher certification. Furthermore, the increasing presence of kosher ready meals in mainstream supermarkets, online platforms, and specialty stores has enhanced accessibility, further driving market growth.

Regionally, North America remains the dominant market, accounting for the largest share of global revenue in 2024, followed by Europe and the Asia Pacific. The United States, with its substantial Jewish population and high awareness of kosher food standards, leads the market both in terms of consumption and product innovation. Europe is witnessing steady growth due to increasing multiculturalism and the rising popularity of kosher foods among non-Jewish consumers. Meanwhile, the Asia Pacific region is emerging as a promising market, driven by urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and a growing interest in international cuisines. The Middle East & Africa and Latin America also present significant opportunities, albeit with unique challenges related to regulatory frameworks and consumer awareness.

The introduction of Frozen Matzah Ball Soup into the kosher ready meals market exemplifies the ongoing innovation within the frozen product segment. This traditional dish, beloved for its comforting taste and cultural significance, has been adapted to meet the demands of modern consumers who seek both convenience and authenticity. The frozen variant ensures that the soup retains its rich flavors and nutritional value, making it a popular choice among those who appreciate classic Jewish cuisine. As more consumers explore the diverse offerings within the kosher ready meals sector, products like Frozen Matzah Ball Soup not only cater to traditional tastes but also attract new audiences interested in experiencing the warmth and heritage of Ashkenazi culinary traditions.

During the Holocaust, approximately six million Jews were killed. In France, the Jewish population had decreased by ******* individuals between 1939 and 1945. It then increased between the end of World War II and the 1970s, reaching ******* individuals in 1970. However, according to the source, the number of Jews in France has declined by more than 15 percent between that period and 2020, and is now estimated to be *******.

This dataset contains the estimated religious composition of 198 countries and territories for 2010 to 2050.
The data is sourced from PEW RESEARCH CENTER . In original dataset the number and the percentage share of followers for some religions as "<10000" and "<10%". Because of technical limitations of the visualization tool, these values had to be changed into "10000".

data/rounded_population.csv

This file contains the number followers by religions and region for 2010 to 2050 | Column Name | Description | |-----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Year | The year for which the data is recorded. | | Region | The region to which the country belongs. | | Country | The name of the country. | | Buddhists | The estimated number of Buddhists in the country for the given year. | | Christians | The estimated number of Christians in the country for the given year. | | Folk Religions | The estimated number of followers of folk religions in the country for the given year. | | Hindus | The estimated number of Hindus in the country for the given year. | | Jews | The estimated number of Jews in the country for the given year. | | Muslims | The estimated number of Muslims in the country for the given year. | | Other Religions | The estimated number of followers of other religions in the country for the given year. | | Unaffiliated | The estimated number of people with no religious affiliation in the country for the given year. |

data/rounded_percentage.csv

This file contains the percentage share of followers by religions and region for 2010 to 2050 | Column Name | Description | |------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Year | The year for which the data is recorded. | | Region | The region to which the country belongs. | | Country | The name of the country. | | Christians | The percentage share of Christians in the country's population for the given year. | | Muslims | The percentage share of Muslims in the country's population for the given year. | | Unaffiliated | The percentage share of people with no religious affiliation in the country's population. | | Hindus | The percentage share of Hindus in the country's population for the given year. | | Buddhists | The percentage share of Buddhists in the country's population for the given year. | | Folk Religions | The percentage share of followers of folk religions in the country's population. | | Other Religions | The percentage share of followers of other religions in the country's population. | | Jews | The percentage share of Jews in the country's population for the given year. | | All Religions | The percentage share of all religious groups combined in the country's population for the year. |

Kosher Frozen Food Market Outlook

According to our latest research, the global kosher frozen food market size reached USD 16.8 billion in 2024, reflecting steady consumer demand and expanding product availability. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period, reaching approximately USD 29.3 billion by 2033. This robust growth is primarily driven by rising health consciousness, increasing adoption of kosher dietary practices among both Jewish and non-Jewish populations, and the growing trend toward convenience-oriented food products worldwide.

One of the central growth factors fueling the kosher frozen food market is the expanding consumer base that seeks out kosher-certified products for perceived quality, safety, and adherence to ethical standards. While the market has traditionally catered to Jewish communities, an increasing number of non-Jewish consumers are gravitating toward kosher foods due to their rigorous inspection processes and traceability. This trend is particularly pronounced in North America and Europe, where food safety concerns and a desire for transparency in sourcing have prompted both retailers and manufacturers to diversify their kosher product portfolios, especially in the frozen segment.

Another significant driver is the surge in demand for convenience foods, particularly among urban populations with fast-paced lifestyles. Kosher frozen foods offer a practical solution, providing ready-to-eat or easy-to-prepare meals that meet strict dietary requirements. The proliferation of modern retail formats, such as supermarkets, hypermarkets, and online platforms, has made kosher frozen products more accessible than ever before. Furthermore, advancements in freezing technologies and improved supply chain logistics have enhanced product quality and shelf life, further boosting consumer confidence and market penetration.

The ongoing innovation within the kosher frozen food industry has also played a pivotal role in market expansion. Manufacturers are continuously introducing new product lines, including plant-based and gluten-free options, to cater to evolving dietary preferences and health trends. The integration of international cuisines within kosher certifications has broadened the appeal of frozen kosher foods, attracting a diverse demographic. Additionally, collaborations between foodservice providers and kosher certifying agencies have led to a wider range of kosher frozen offerings in restaurants, catering services, and institutional settings, thereby stimulating demand across multiple end-user segments.

Regionally, North America dominates the kosher frozen food market, accounting for the largest share in 2024, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The United States, in particular, serves as a major hub for kosher food production and consumption, supported by a well-established certification infrastructure and a large Jewish population. Europe is witnessing notable growth due to increasing multiculturalism and rising consumer awareness. Meanwhile, Asia Pacific is emerging as a promising market, driven by urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and the globalization of food consumption patterns. The Middle East & Africa and Latin America also contribute to market development, albeit at a relatively moderate pace, with growing interest in kosher-certified products among health-conscious and religious consumers.

Product Type Analysis

The kosher frozen food market is segmented by product type into frozen meals, frozen desserts, frozen vegetables & fruits, frozen meat & poultry, frozen seafood, and others. Among these, frozen meals represent the leading category, capturing a substantial market share in 2024. The popularity of kosher frozen meals is attributed to their convenience, variety, and ability to cater to diverse dietary needs. Manufacturers are increasingly focusing on developing innovative meal solutions, including ethnic and international cuisines, to attract a broader consumer base. The demand for plant-based and low-calorie frozen meals is also rising, reflecting the growing health consciousness among consumers.

Frozen desserts form another prominent segment, experiencing significant growth due to the rising preference for indulgent yet permissible treats. Kosher frozen desserts, including ice creams, sorbets, and pastries, are gaining traction not only among Jewish con

Purpose Inherited eye diseases (IEDs) are among the main causes of visual impairment and blindness in children and young people worldwide. The objective of our study was to characterize the prevalence and distribution of the most common IEDs and causative genes in our population. Study design Retrospective study based on medical records of patients with IEDs who underwent genetic counselling through our multidisciplinary low vision center from 2018 to 2020. Methods Data retrieved from medical files included: year of consultation, age, gender, ethnicity, diagnosis, gene variants and mode of inheritance. Results 228 patients were included in our study. The most common diagnoses were inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) (41.2%) and albinism (32%). In 2018 and 2019 the number of patients reaching out for genetic counselling was between 50 and 60; this number doubled by 2020. The rate of pathogenic variant detection was 65.3%. The most common genes identified were TYR (29.2%), OCA2 (7.9%), ABCA4 (5.3%), TRPM1 (5.3%) and USH2A (4.4%). Conclusion Genetic counselling and testing became an essential part of caregiving for patients and families affected by these severe IEDs. The most common IEDs were IRDs in the Muslim population and albinism in the Jewish population. Pathogenic variants in the TYR gene were the most common in our cohort, OCA2 gene was the second in frequency, followed by ABCA4, TRPM1 and USH2A genes. We detected an increasing trend over the studied time in the number of patients reaching out for genetic counselling.

In 1995, Israel had a Jewish population of approximately 4.5 million people, of whom approximately 1.75 million were born abroad. Over one million of these immigrants were born in Europe, with over 650,000 of these born in the former Soviet Union. Despite Poland having the largest Jewish population in the world in the pre-WWII years, the number of Polish Jewish migrants and descendents in Israel was relatively small in 1995 when compared to the USSR due to the impact of the Holocaust.

Outside of Europe, Morocco had the largest number of Jewish immigrants and descendents in Israel by 1995. Morocco had the largest Jewish population in the Muslim world when Israel was founded in 1948, with over 250,000 people. Many Moroccan Jews sought to emigrate to Israel at this time, but often faced resistance from authorities and local populations who believed the Jews would join in the fight against the Arab forces seeking to establish a Muslim state in Palestine. The government of Morocco then officially prohibited emigration to Israel after gaining independence from France in 1956, however this policy was reversed in 1961 whereby the Moroccan government began facilitating Jewish emigration to Israel in return for payments from Jewish organizations in the U.S. and Israel. By the 1970s, Morocco's Jewish population had fallen to less than 15 percent of its size in 1948.

ObjectiveDiabetes mellitus is an emerging epidemic in the Arab world. Although high diabetes prevalence is documented in Israeli Arabs, information from cohort studies is scant.MethodsThis is a population study, based on information derived between 2007–2011, from the electronic database of the largest health fund in Israel, among Arabs and Jews. Prevalence, 4-year-incidence and diabetes hazard ratios [HRs], adjusted for sex and the metabolic-syndrome [MetS]-components, were determined in 3 age groups (

IntroductionAmid escalating global antisemitism, particularly following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, this study addresses critical gaps in understanding the psychosocial impact of antisemitism on Jewish communities worldwide.MethodsFocusing on the Jewish community in Germany, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 420 Jewish individuals (mean age = 40.71 years, SD = 15.90; 57% female). Participants completed measures assessing four distinct forms of perceived and experienced antisemitism: everyday discrimination, microaggressions (subtle antisemitism and collective experiences such as encountering antisemitic comments on social media), vigilance against antisemitism, and perceived prevalence of antisemitism. Psychosocial outcomes—including depression, anxiety, subjective well-being, and social participation—were also measured. Data were analyzed using correlation analyses and multiple linear regressions, and Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) identified distinct groups based on shared perceptions and experiences of antisemitism and levels of Jewish identification.ResultsResults indicate that experiences of antisemitism, particularly everyday discriminatory acts, were significantly associated with poorer mental health outcomes and reduced social participation. The LPA revealed three distinct groups, with the high-identity, high-antisemitism group (53% of the sample) reporting significantly higher anxiety levels than those with average identification and more rare experience with antisemitism.DiscussionThese findings underscore the pervasive nature of antisemitism and its detrimental effects on the well-being of Jewish individuals. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions to promote resilience within Jewish communities and calls for broader societal efforts to combat antisemitism.