 |
 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 450,000[1][2] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Or Yehuda, Ramat Gan, Kiryat Gat | |
| Languages | |
| Hebrew, Judeo-Iraqi Arabic, Baghdad Jewish Arabic | |
| Religion | |
| Orthodox Judaism |
Iraqi Jews in Israel, also known as Bavlim (Hebrew for "Babylonians"), are descendants of the historic Jewish communities of Iraq, now living in the State of Israel.
During Ottoman rule in the 19th century, Iraqi Jews lived under the millet system, which differentiated Muslims from non-Muslisms. As such, they enjoyed less rights than their Muslim counterparts.
Nevertheless, the situation of Iraqi Jews became extremely precarious following the end of the British Mandate of Iraq in 1932.
Between 1950 and 1951, an approximated 123,000 Iraqi Jews emigrated to Israel as a consequence of domestic and regional factors.[3] Domestically, the rise of antisemetic policies and rhetoric within Iraq, and the numerous violent attacks against its Jewish community, created a highly precarious environment for Iraqi Jews, pushing many to view emigration to Israel as the only option for their safety.[3] Regionally, the Nakba - the Israeli expulsion of more than 750,000 Palestinians from their land, the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, its war with neighbouring Arab countries, and its push for Jewish immigration in the years following independence impacted Iraqi Jewish communities.[3] The Iraqi Jewish immigrants lost the Iraqi citizenship, and their properties were confiscated by the Iraqi state. In Israel, Iraqi Jews became full citizens, but encountered numerous difficulties, including discrimination and economic precarity.
In 2003, they numbered around 450,000.[1]
- ^ a b HighBeam
- ^ Collie, Tim (March 2, 2003). "JEWISH & IRAQI". Sun-Sentinel.
- ^ a b c Bashkin, Orit (2017). Impossible exodus: Iraqi Jews in Israel. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. p. 4. ISBN 9780804795852.
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