The diverse Jewish history of the East beyond the Ashkenazi narrative

Cultures · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For decades, the global understanding of Jewish identity was often dominated by European roots. However, a vast and distinct tapestry of culture exists among Mizrahi Jews—the descendants of communities across North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia who maintained unique traditions for centuries before migrating to Israel.

The term 'Mizrahi' translates to 'Easterner' in Hebrew. It is a politico-sociological designation that gained prominence with the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Before this period, Jewish life was defined by diverse regional customs rather than a single 'Eastern' label. While Ashkenazim were rooted in the Rhineland and Sephardim in Spain, Mizrahi Jews lived throughout the Muslim world, including North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of India and China.

The linguistic and cultural diversity within this group is immense. In Arab lands like Morocco, Egypt, and Iraq, many spoke Arabic as their native tongue. In Iran and Afghanistan, Farsi was the primary language, while communities in Kurdistan spoke a modern variant of Aramaic. Some groups, such as those from Bukhara or India (Cochin Jews and Bene Israel), identify with specific regional identities that may sit outside the broader Mizrahi classification depending on the context.

A significant historical shift occurred during World War II when the Jewish Agency for Israel outlined the 'One Million Plan.' This officially grouped these various communities into a single identifiable division for immigration. Following 1948, the vast majority of approximately 1.5 million Mizrahi Jews migrated to Israel. Early waves often faced discrimination from established Ashkenazi populations but eventually became an integral part of the nation's social and political fabric.

Nuance exists regarding the overlap between Mizrahi and Sephardic identities. For example, many Maghrebi Jews (from Morocco, Algeria, or Tunisia) are religiously considered Sephardim due to their lineage from the 15th-century Iberian expulsion. Conversely, Yemenite Jews are categorized as Mizrahi but are distinguished by their lack of assimilation into Sephardic law and customs.

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