World Jewish Population on Eve of Rosh Hashanah 14.7 Million

World Jewish Population on Eve of Rosh Hashanah 14.7 Million

Judy Maltz
Haaretz

On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the world Jewish population totals 14.7 million – hardly changed (an increase of 0.01 percent) from a year ago, according to figures published Sunday by the Jewish Agency.

Of the total, 6.6 million Jews (45 percent) live in Israel, and among the 8.1 million Jews who live outside Israel, 5.7 million (70 percent) live in the United States.

The figures were calculated by Professor Sergio Della Pergola, Israel’s leading expert on Jewish demography. They refer to what is defined as the “core Jewish population” of the world – all individuals who identify in surveys as Jewish and do not have another religion. It also includes individuals with a Jewish parent who claim no religious or ethnic identity.

The number of individuals around the world eligible to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return is much larger and totals 23.5 million today. This figure includes all individuals who have at least one Jewish grandparent, are married to a Jew or who converted to Judaism in an established Jewish community.

According to the Jewish Agency figures, a total of 27,000 Jews live in Arab countries today – 15,000 in Turkey, 8,500 in Iran, 2,000 in Morocco and 1,000 in Tunisia. Fewer than 500 Jews live in each of the following countries: Yemen, Syria and Egypt.