Mizrahi Jew

{{Unicode|Mizraḥi}} Jews sometimes also called Oriental Jews, (מזרחי "eastern", Standard Hebrew {{Unicode|Mizraḥi}}, Tiberian Hebrew {{Unicode|Mizrāḥî}}; plural מזרחים "easterners", Standard Hebrew {{Unicode|Mizraḥim}}, Tiberian Hebrew {{Unicode|Mizrāḥîm}}) are Jews of Middle Eastern or North African origin; that is to say, their ancestors never left this largely contiguous region. Included in the {{Unicode|Mizraḥi}} category are non-Sephardic Jews from the Arab world, as well as other communities variously including the Gruzim, Persian Jews, Bukharan Jews, Juhurim, and sometimes the Teimanim.

Related Topics:
Standard Hebrew - Tiberian Hebrew - Jews - Middle Eastern - North Africa - Arab world - Gruzim - Persian Jew - Bukharan Jew - Juhurim - Teimanim

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Though many {{Unicode|Mizraḥi}}m now follow the liturgical traditions of the Sephardim and in modern Israel may be colloquially referred to as Sephardic Jews, the {{Unicode|Mizraḥi}}m are not Sephardic, as they are not descended from those Jews who were expelled from Sepharad (the Iberian peninsula) during the Spanish Inquisition and the Portuguese Inquisition. Including {{Unicode|Mizraḥim}} with Sephardim may be regarded as culturally insensitive or ignorant.

Related Topics:
Sephardi - Israel - Iberian peninsula - Spanish Inquisition - Portuguese Inquisition

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Prior to the emergence of the term {{Unicode|"Mizraḥi"}}, which dates from the time of the establishment of the State of Israel, Arab Jews (יהודים ערבים) was a commonly used designation for those {{Unicode|Mizraḥim}} originating in Arab lands, though almost never employed by the {{Unicode|Mizraḥi}}m themselves. The term is rarely used today, except among a minority of {{Unicode|Mizraḥi}}m who promote reintroducing the designation Arab Jews instead of {{Unicode|Mizraḥim}}; this usage has thus far received little support among the wider {{Unicode|Mizraḥi}} community. Many {{Unicode|Mizraḥi}}m today also identify themselves with and exhibit affinity toward their country of origin, or that of their immediate ancestors, e.g. "Iraqi Jew," "Tunisian Jew," "Persian Jew," etc., retaining particular traditions and practices.

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Unlike the terms Ashkenazi and Sephardi, {{Unicode|Mizraḥi}} is simply a convenient way to refer collectively to a wide range of Jewish communities, most of which are as unrelated to each other as they are to either the Sephardi or Ashkenazi communities.

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