20 Countries With The Largest Jewish Population In The World

In this article, we will take a look at the 20 countries with the largest Jewish population in the world. If you want to skip our discussion on the Jewish community, you can go directly to the 5 Countries With The Largest Jewish Population In The World.

Judaism is one of the oldest Abrahamic, monotheistic religions in the world. It has a rich cultural legacy that goes back thousands of years. The origins of the religion date back over 3500 years in the Canaan region. This area now constitutes Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory. As of 2023, there are around 16.7 million Jews in the world. This means that Jews make up about 0.2% of the world’s population. Compared to other Abrahamic religions like Christianity and Islam, this is quite a small ratio. Christianity and Islam are the two most popular religions in the world, accounting for about 56% of the world’s population.

While there is only a single Jewish state in the world at the moment, many countries are home to significant populations of Jews. It would be interesting to note that despite being a Jewish state, Israel isn’t the country with the highest Jewish population in the world. Israel is home to 7.2 million Jews, accounting for 42.9% of the total Jewish population in the world. The global Jewish population has witnessed a steady growth trend since 1945, with a sharp rise in recent years. Between 2022 and 2023, the community recorded an increase from 15.25 million to 16.78 million people. A 2015 study by the Pew Research Centre predicted that the global Jewish population would reach 16 million by the year 2050. However, the Jewish population has exhibited a faster-than-expected growth rate and surpassed the 16 million mark already, with nearly 25 years remaining until 2050. According to the same study, the annual growth rate for the Jewish population was projected to be lower than the average global growth rate. This prediction proved accurate, as the world Jewish population experienced an annual growth rate of about 0.63% until 2018. In comparison, the average global population grew at a higher rate of 1.1%.

Jewish Demographics in the United States

The United States of America is also among the countries with the largest Jewish population in the world. New York stands out as the state with the highest Jewish population, at about 1.7 million Jews. This means that New York is home to around 22% of America’s Jews and 10% of the total Jews in the world. California and Florida follow New York with the second and third-highest Jewish populations in the US. These three states have a higher number of Jewish residents than any country in the world, excluding Israel and the US. Meanwhile, Europe is home to about 8% of Jews in the world, with France in the leading position. You can check out the 20 Most Jewish Cities in the World here.

Jewish Influence in Major Corporations

Despite making up a small portion of the global population, Jews have historically held positions of power. According to Forbes Israel, there were 267 Jewish billionaires in the world in 2022, with a collective net worth of $1.7 trillion. The majority of these Jewish billionaires hail from the United States. The top 10 billionaires on the list exclusively represented the United States and France, with the first appearance of an Israeli-Jewish billionaire occurring at the 22nd spot. Several business leaders in the United States belong to the Jewish community. Lawrence Ellison, the founder of Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL), a key player in database management systems, stands as a prominent example. Larry Page, another prominent Jewish entrepreneur, gained fame as the co-founder of Google. Similarly, Shari Arison, a highly successful Jewish entrepreneur, is widely recognized as the wealthiest woman in Israel and the owner of Carnival Corp (NYSE:CCL). Arison has diversified her investment portfolio and also holds a 16% stake in Israel’s largest bank, Hapoalim. Many of the world’s most prominent companies, including Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), Facebook (NASDAQ:META), and the New York Times (NYSE:NYT), are led by Jewish individuals. Major players in the entertainment and media industry are also affiliated with or owned by Jews. Furthermore, among the top 25 money managers in the history of American Capitalism, an impressive 17 are of Jewish descent. Some of the renowned names within this group include George Soros, James Simon, Steven Cohen, John Paulson, David Tepper, and Carl Icahn.

Here’s what Ensemble Capital Management said about Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) in its Q4 2023 investor letter:

“Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (8.52% weight in the Fund): Google’s earnings report in October showed its core advertising business accelerating to double digit growth as the digital advertising recession of 2022 and early 2023 fades away. However, the company’s Cloud division, which is expected to generate growth from selling access to artificial intelligence services, saw its growth rate slow modestly. Juxtaposed with Microsoft’s Cloud business seeing growth pick up slightly, investors sold off Google’s stock on the report. While the stock recovered to new highs by the end of the year, the earnings report set back caused the stock to trail behind the S&P 500 with a gain of 6.8% for the quarter.”

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Our Methodology

To shortlist the 20 countries with the largest Jewish populations in the world, we consulted the Jewish Virtual Library, which is the most comprehensive online repository of data and literature related to Judaism and Jews. The countries have been ranked in ascending order of the size of their Jewish population. We have also shared the percentage of Jews living in the countries in comparison to the total Jewish population in the world.

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20 Countries With The Largest Jewish Population In The World

20. Chile

Jewish Population = 15,700

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.09%

Chile has a very small Jewish population, making up about 0.09% of the world’s Jews. The Jewish community in Chile is mostly concentrated in the capital, Santiago. The historical composition of the Jewish population in Chile has been shaped by waves of Jewish immigration, particularly from Eastern Europe, especially after the Holocaust. Today, Chile has a handful of synagogues and Jewish schools.

19. Uruguay

Jewish Population = 16,200 

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.10%

Uruguay is home to a small Jewish population, with 0.1% of the world’s Jews residing there. The Jewish community in Uruguay is primarily located in the capital, Montevideo. There are several synagogues and Jewish schools in Uruguay, although the community remains relatively small.

18. Switzerland

Jewish Population = 20,500

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.12%

Switzerland has a Jewish population of around 20,500 people. The Jewish community in Switzerland dates back centuries, with the first Jewish settlers arriving in the late 16th century. Switzerland has many synagogues and a thriving Jewish community.

17. Italy

Jewish Population = 26,900 

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.16%

Italy has a Jewish population of around 26,900 people, making up 0.16% of the world’s Jewish population. Italy has a long history of Jewish presence, dating back to Roman times. The country is at the seventeenth position on our list of countries with the largest Jewish population in the world.

16. Belgium

Jewish Population = 29,000

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.17%

Belgium has a Jewish population of approximately 29,000 individuals. The Jewish community in Belgium has a rich history, with Jews having lived in the region since the Middle Ages.

15. Netherlands

Jewish Population = 29,700

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.2%

The Netherlands has a Jewish population of around 29,700, accounting for 0.2% of the world’s Jewish population. The Dutch Jewish community has a long history, with the first Jewish settlement in Amsterdam dating back to the 12th century.

14. Ukraine

Jewish Population = 33,000 

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.3%

Ukraine is home to approximately 33,000 Jews, placing it among the top 15 countries with the largest Jewish populations in the world. The historical roots of the Jewish community in Ukraine run deep, with a significant presence dating back to the Middle Ages. Despite facing periods of severe persecution, particularly during the Holocaust, the Jewish community in Ukraine has managed to maintain its identity and traditions.

13. Mexico

Jewish Population = 40,000 

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.3%

Mexico has a Jewish population of around 40,000 people. The Jewish community in Mexico traces its roots back to the early 16th century when Spanish Jews arrived in New Spain. Today, Mexico has a small but vibrant Jewish community that adds to the North American Jewish population.

12. Hungary

Jewish Population = 46,000

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.3%

Hungary has a Jewish population of around 46,000 people. The country accounts for 0.3% of the world’s Jewish population. The first Jewish settlement in Hungary dates back to the 13th century in the city of Pest.

11. South Africa

Jewish Population = 50,000

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.3%

Approximately 50,000 Jews are living in South Africa today. Many Jews arrived in South Africa during the 19th century, fleeing persecution in Eastern Europe. Over the years, the Jews have played significant roles in various aspects of South African society, including business, politics, culture, and academia.

10. Brazil

Jewish Population = 90,500

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.6%

Brazil is home to a Jewish population of 90,500 individuals. The Jewish community in Brazil dates back to the 19th century, with many Jews arriving from Eastern Europe and Russia. Today, the Jewish community in the country is centered in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Brazil also has several synagogues, a Jewish school, and a Jewish cultural center.

9. Australia

Jewish Population = 117,000

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.8%

Australia has a Jewish population of around 117,000 people. It is among the top 10 countries with the highest Jewish population in the world. The Jewish community first arrived in Australia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

8. Germany

Jewish Population = 125,000

Percentage of World Jewry = 0.8%

Despite Germany’s role in the Holocaust that wiped out millions of Jews from the world, Germany made it to the top 8 countries with the largest Jewish population in the world. The country has a Jewish population of around 120,000 people. The Jewish community in Germany dates back to the Middle Ages, with Jews playing a significant role in German society.

7. Russia

Jewish Population = 132,000           

Percentage of World Jewry = 1.0%

Russia is home to 1% of the world’s Jewish population, with around 132,000 Jews living in the country. Russia is the only other country besides Israel to have a Jewish autonomous region, with its center in Birobidzhan. However, less than a thousand Jews are living in this area now.

6. Argentina

Jewish Population = 171,000          

Percentage of World Jewry = 1.1%

Argentina has a Jewish population of around 171,000 people, making up 1.1% of the world’s Jews. The Jewish community in Argentina dates back to the 19th century, with many Jews arriving from Eastern Europe.

Some of the world’s most popular companies, such as Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), Facebook (NASDAQ:META), and the New York Times (NYSE:NYT), have Jewish individuals in positions of authority.