Jewry

Jewry denotes the collective body of Jewish people, their culture, and the worldwide Jewish community. It is used to refer to Jews as a people, and to Jewish religious and cultural life, in historical and sociological contexts.

The term originates in medieval English from forms such as Iewry and Iewes, designating the community of Jews. In modern usage, many prefer "the Jewish people" or "the Jewish community" to avoid archaism.

There are about 15 to 16 million Jews globally, with the largest populations in Israel and the United States. Smaller communities exist in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and parts of Asia.

Judaism is the central religion associated with Jewry, but the community also includes secular and culturally oriented Jews. Hebrew is central to liturgy and modern Israel, while Yiddish, Ladino, and other languages reflect regional histories.

Jewish history spans two millennia, from ancient Israel and the Second Temple period to dispersion after 70 CE. Medieval and modern periods saw flourishing communities, persecution, emancipation, Zionism, the Holocaust, and the establishment of the State of Israel.

Today, discussions about identity, assimilation, intermarriage, and antisemitism shape Jewry. The term remains common in scholarship and media, though many prefer more specific descriptors.