Jewish, Romanian in Israel

People Name:	Jewish, Romanian
Country:	Israel
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	217,000
World Population:	219,300
Primary Language:	Hebrew
Primary Religion:	Ethnic Religions
Christian Adherents:	0.05 %
Evangelicals:	0.05 %
Scripture:	New Testament
Ministry Resources:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Jewish
Affinity Bloc:	Jewish
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

How can a nation repair a devastated economy? After World War II, the new communist regime in Romania faced that dilemma and came up with a reprehensible scheme: selling their Jewish citizens. Out of the 800,000 Jewish people who lived in Romania before WWII, 350,000 escaped the Holocaust. These Romanian citizens still faced anti-Semitism, and their country sold 300,000 of them to the new country of Israel from late 1949 to 1978. Some went for $50 US, but the ransom price gradually increased until it reached as high as $250,000.

Today, many Romanian Jews make up the total Israeli Jewish population. Israeli leaders want all the people in Israel to "fuse" into one united Jewish group, but many retain the language of their original homeland. Most Romanian Jews, however, speak Hebrew. Romanian Jews could form fellowships with other Hebrew-speakers, but they would probably feel more at ease with those from the same part of the world.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Language is one of the distinguishing features among Jews of this region. While Hebrew and Aramaic are the common languages of prayer, sacred, and legal matters, the Jews are quite at home with local languages and dialects. Farsi (the Iranian language) and Arabic are the everyday languages of most of the Jews outside Israel. Within Israel, Jews may speak fluent Yiddish (a German dialect with Hebrew elements), Russian, Yudi, Ladino, or any number of other languages learned in their countries of origin or from their immigrant parents.

Most of the Israeli Jews live in cities. Attempts to start new towns and populate rural areas have been difficult. Such attempts have often become scenes of ethnic unrest between Jews and Palestinians. Most of the Jews who live in rural areas are part of the well-known kibbutzim (collective farms or settlements in Israel).

Israeli leaders wanted to see all immigrants fuse into one Jewish people. However, the different immigrant groups of the past have now become the ethnic groups of today. Along with ethnicity, a class society has developed. One's ethnic background may shape one's occupation and standard of living. The Oriental Jews, those of African-Asian descent, are concentrated in the lower strata of society.

Unlike many Jewish communities outside Israel, extended families do not play an important part in the lives of the Israeli Jews. Rather, the nuclear family is the most important unit. Because education is highly valued in Israeli society, schools are free and compulsory through the tenth grade. Most Jews view mandatory service in the Israeli army as a crucial part of the transition into adulthood.

The decline in Judaic studies in school seems to be a result of the crisis in Israel's Jewish identity. Many religious laws written into social law are no longer being enforced, such as businesses observing the Sabbath or the prohibitions against selling pork. Although all of the holidays on the Jewish religious calendar are celebrated, they have a greater social than religious value to most Israelis. On the other hand, there has been a cultural renaissance of Hebrew and Jewish studies and arts, particularly in dance, literature, music, and theater.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Rabbinical Judaism is the dominant religion of Jews in this region, and the officially recognized institutions are Orthodox. Rabbinical Judaism replaced the temple with the synagogue, the priesthood with the rabbi, and the sacrificial ceremony with the prayer service. Emphasis was placed on study of the Torah (Hebrew name for the first five books of the Bible), the growing need for national restoration in the Promised land, and the function of this world as preparatory for the world to come. However, approximately two-thirds to three-fourths of the Israeli Jews are non-observant. Jews who consider themselves to be religious can be simply divided into the Orthodox (traditionalists) who adhere to the traditional beliefs and practices, and the Moderns, who may hold to traditional beliefs, but no longer strictly observe the practices. The holy places are maintained by the state and the religious councils and rabbis are state employees.

What Are Their Needs?

The Jews have a wonderful understanding of their connection with the Abrahamic covenant. However, they also have a history of rejection of Jesus Christ as Messiah, the one who has fulfilled that covenant.



Throughout their history, the Jews have been discriminated against and persecuted. They need to experience emotional healing and forgiveness. Pray that as the gospel is shared with them, it will not be viewed as anti-Semitic, but rather as the fulfillment of what God promised humanity through Abraham centuries ago. Also, pray for a spiritual hunger among the Jews who view their Jewishness as an ethnic identity and have no religious affiliation.

Prayer Points

Ask the Lord of the harvest to send loving Christians to work among Romanian Jewish people in Israel.
Pray that the Jewish people will understand that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.
Pray that God will grant Jewish believers favor as they share their faith in Christ with their people.