Diaspora
The term diaspora comes from Greek and means “dispersion” or “scattering.” Today, living in the diaspora is a phrase often used to describe religious or ethnic communities whose ancestors left their homeland, often involuntarily, and settled in different countries or regions around the world. Even while living as minorities, many of these communities have continued to preserve their traditions, culture, and faith.
The Jewish diaspora began in 722 BCE, after the fall of the ancient Kingdom of Israel, located in what is now northern Israel. For many Jews, this meant living in exile, including in Egypt and Babylonia. In fact, this experience gave rise to the original meaning of the term diaspora: the dispersal of Jewish people across the world and the establishment of Jewish communities outside Israel.
The Jewish diaspora continues to shape Jewish life today. Of the approximately 15 million Jews worldwide, around seven million live in Israel. The rest continue to live in communities across the globe. In Hebrew, the diaspora is known as Galut.
