Juutalaisen

Juutalainen is the Finnish term for a Jew or for anything relating to Judaism. As a noun it refers to a person who belongs to the Jewish people or who practices Judaism; as an adjective it describes things connected with Judaism or Jewish culture, for example juutalainen kulttuuri or juutalainen ravitsemus. The related noun juutalaisuus denotes Judaism as a religion, culture, and identity. In inflection, the word forms like juutalainen (singular), juutalaiset (plural), and juutalaisuuden (genitive).

Etymology and usage: juutalainen derives from the same-root concept as Judaism and the Hebrew Yehudi, meaning a person from Judah. In Finnish, the term is used in neutral or descriptive contexts in media, academia, and everyday language. It is not a proper noun and is generally written in lowercase unless at the start of a sentence. Context determines whether the reference is to a person (a Jew) or to Judaism as a religion or cultural tradition.

Finland context: Finland has a small Jewish community, primarily centered in Helsinki, where there is a synagogue and affiliated communal life. The community participates in religious services, education, and cultural activities, and it is part of Finland’s religiously diverse landscape. Finnish society generally emphasizes freedom of religion and non-discrimination, and discussions about Jewish life typically appear in cultural, historical, and religious contexts.

See also: Judaism in Finland, Finnish Jewish community, Helsinki synagogue.