Mizrahi JewsEdit
Mizrahi Jews are a broad family of Jewish communities whose ancestral homes lie in the Middle East and North Africa. The label, deriving from the Hebrew word for “eastern,” covers diverse groups—from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya across the Maghreb to Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, as well as smaller communities in places like Turkey and Egypt. While these communities share deep historical and religious ties to a common Judeo-Arabic world and to the broader Mediterranean basin, they each carry distinct languages, customs, and experiences. In the modern era, their strands also converge with the global diaspora and with the state-building project of Israel.
Mizrahi communities have contributed richly to global Jewish culture, religion, and thought. Their languages and liturgical traditions—often rooted in Judeo-Arabic varieties, Judeo-Persian and other regional forms—have shaped Jewish multilingual life. In many communities, daily life, cuisine, music, and family structures reflect a blend of local Arab, Persian, Berber, Turkic, and Levantine influences with Jewish religious practice. Within the broader Jewish world, Mizrahi life overlaps with but remains distinct from Sephardi Judaism and Ashkenazi Judaism, even as all share core beliefs and rituals. The interplay among these streams has produced a vibrant, pluralistic Jewish heritage that has traveled with Aliyah to different countries, especially to Israel.
Historically, Mizrahi Jews formed enduring communities in their home regions, often coexisting with Muslim-majority societies under varying degrees of tolerance and constraint. Over centuries, many Mizrahi communities maintained distinctive religious authorities, families, and customs while engaging with wider regional cultures. The migration to Israel during the 20th century—driven by upheavals in the Arab world and broader geopolitical shifts—brought these communities into the national spotlight. In Israel, Mizrahi Jews rapidly became a defining portion of the Jewish majority, contributing to the country’s culture, economy, and political life, and influencing debates about national identity and social policy. For the purposes of study, the Mizrahi experience is often discussed in relation to, but distinct from, the experiences of Ashkenazi Jews and Sephardi Jews.
History and identity
Origins and communities
The Mizrahi label encompasses a mosaic of communities with deep roots in the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya) and the Mashreq (Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and surrounding areas). Each community developed unique religious and cultural practices while sharing ties to the broader eastern Jewish world. See how these histories intertwine with regional histories in topics like Iraq and Iran’s Jewish communities, and in the broader story of Jews in the Arab world.
In modern times, large Mizrahi populations reshaped the Jewish presence in Israel and in diaspora communities such as France, United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For instance, Mizrahi and Sephardi communities have been central to the political and cultural life of Israel since the country’s founding, and their influence continues to shape contemporary debates about national identity. Notable examples of institutional formations representing Mizrahi and Sephardi communities include the political party Shas.
Language and culture
Judeo-Arabic varieties and other regional languages formed the linguistic backbone of many Mizrahi communities, often coexisting with Hebrew and, later, local languages in the diaspora. The linguistic landscape reflects centuries of convivencia and exchange with surrounding cultures. In the public sphere, Hebrew reclaimed its role as the national language in Israel, with Mizrahi readers and speakers contributing to literature, media, and education.
Cultural life among Mizrahi Jews blends music, culinary traditions, family customs, and religious observance in ways that highlight regional flavors while maintaining shared Jewish rituals. This cultural richness has helped bridge communities within Israel and beyond, enriching the broader Jewish cultural map.
Religion and liturgy
- Mizrahi religious practice often aligns with Sephardi Judaism but with distinctive local rituals and authorities that reflect regional histories. The overlap with Sephardi practice is strong, yet many communities retain their own liturgical melodies and rabbinical lineages, some of which are preserved in regional centers of learning and in the works of notable religious authorities such as Ovadia Yosef (who, as a leading figure in Shas, symbolized the Mizrahi-Sephardi leadership in modern Israel).
In Israel
Demographics and political influence
In Israel, Mizrahi and Sephardi families form a majority of the Jewish population, and their political participation has grown from the margins of early state politics into central roles in government, media, education, business, and culture. The rise of parties representing Mizrahi and Sephardi interests—most prominently Shas—marked a significant shift in Israeli political life, illustrating how diverse Jewish identities have become integrated into the national project.
The social and political integration of Mizrahi Jews has been a central theme in debates about national cohesion and governance. Advocates emphasize shared citizenship, opportunity, and security as the primary framework for advancing Israeli prosperity, while acknowledging that historical inequities require ongoing attention to mobility, education, and economic development.
Economic and social mobility
Mizrahi communities contributed to Israel’s post-1948 economic expansion, becoming prominent in labor markets, entrepreneurship, and public life. The story of integration has featured both triumphs and tensions, with arguments on both sides about how best to balance meritocracy, social welfare, and cultural pluralism.
Education and employment policies in Israel have sought to close gaps across communities, promoting equal opportunity while preserving cultural distinctiveness. In diaspora contexts, Mizrahi heritage often informs cultural programming, community organizing, and charitable activity.
Cultural influence
- In Israeli culture, Mizrahi influences are visible in music, theater, literature, film, and cuisine, shaping a national identity that includes a mosaic of regional flavors. This cultural flowering occurs alongside the enduring presence of Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions, reinforcing a more pluralistic Jewish cultural landscape.
Controversies and debates
Historical tensions: Some commentators note that early Israeli politics reflected a period when Ashkenazi-majority institutions held sway, and Mizrahi voices felt underrepresented. Proponents of the current order argue that national unity and the necessity of rapid state-building required pragmatic governance, while acknowledging that past oversights should inform contemporary policy to ensure all communities share in opportunity.
Identity politics versus national unity: Critics argue that focusing on ethnic or cultural identities can fragment public life and complicate shared civic loyalties. Proponents contend that recognizing and integrating Mizrahi history and culture strengthens the national project by broadening its moral and cultural base, rather than narrowing it.
Woke critique and its opponents: When debates about inequality or representation arise, some observers dismiss critiques as “woke” noise that distracts from tangible gains in education, health, and security. From this perspective, the emphasis should be on universal programs—education, economic mobility, security—while still honoring the unique histories of Mizrahi communities and their contributions to Israeli life.
Diaspora relations and security: In places with significant Mizrahi populations, issues of integration, antisemitism, and political belonging intersect with broader regional concerns. The Mizrahi experience in the diaspora often reinforces the importance of homeland ties to Israel and to shared Jewish interests in global affairs.
See also