Jewish, Yahudic in United Kingdom

People Name:	Jewish, Yahudic
Country:	United Kingdom
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	6,900
World Population:	107,900
Primary Language:	Arabic, Judeo-Iraqi
Primary Religion:	Ethnic Religions
Christian Adherents:	0.50 %
Evangelicals:	0.10 %
Scripture:	Unspecified
Online Audio NT:	No
Jesus Film:	No
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Jewish
Affinity Bloc:	Jewish
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The word "Yahud" is the Arabic word for Jew and it also refers to a particular Jewish tribe. Yahudic Jews are Jews whose ancestors lived in Iraq. They claim they are descendants of the Jews who were deported from Israel by the Babylonians in 538 BC. In the last 80 years almost of these Iraqi Jews moved to Israel or the UK to escape persecution and violence. Yahudic Jews may speak Judeo-Arabic at home and English outside the family.
Jews in the UK tend to live in large cities especially London.

What Are Their Lives Like?

All Jewish parents in the UK strongly encourage their children to pursue graduate educations. They often find their employment in medicine, law, higher education, science and finance. Jewish scientists win the Nobel Prize many times above the percentage of the general population. Yahudic Jews tend to be not as educated or wealthy as Ashkenazi Jews who originate from central and Eastern Europe.
One of the issues today for Judaism is that about one in four Jews in Great Britain marry outside the faith resulting in children of mixed heritage. Conservative rabbis will only marry a mixed couple if the non-Jewish person is willing to convert to Judaism. Accordingly, to be considered a Jew in most Jewish circles, one must present evidence that he or she was born of a Jewish mother. Judaism is a non-evangelistic religion. The Jews do not seek converts. A Non-Jew or Gentile can become a Jew only through a time of prolonged study and commitment. At the age of 13, the Bar Mitzvah ceremony for a boy (or Bat Mitzvah for a girl) is an important rite of passage, which marks him or her as an adult member of the community. While these ceremonies were more spiritually focused in the past, they have become equally important as social events.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Traditional Jews see Abraham as the father of their faith and Moses as the great lawgiver. The Law or Torah, the Prophets and the Writings make up the Jewish holy Scriptures. Judaism is a moral, fiercely monotheistic religion. One obtains favor with God by obeying the laws found in the Scriptures. The writings of the Rabbis, the Talmud, are seen as an essential guide to knowing and following the commands of God. The two main holy days of the Jews are the Passover which celebrates the Jews leaving Egypt under the leadership of Moses and the Day of Atonement in which Jews fast, pray and confess their sins. The Jewish Shabbat runs from Friday at sunset until sunset on Saturday. Religious Jews use the time to attend synagogue and to spend time with their families. Jews are known their philanthropic work and helping the less fortunate. The Jews living in the UK are diverse population and can classified into at least four major groups. The strictest branch of Judaism is the Orthodox. They believe the Law and Prophets, what Christians call the Old Testament, is the literal, inspired Word of God and still completely binding on their lives today. This branch of Judaism includes the ultra-Orthodox Hasidim, or "pious ones." The liberal or progressive branch of Judaism is called Reformed. They do not believe in the miracles of the Torah and that Judaism must be fully integrated into modern scientific world. The Conservative Jews try to find a moderate, middle path between Orthodoxy and Reformed Judaism. One final part of the Jewish population are non-religious or secular Jews. These Jews do not attend synagogue and may go to work on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. These secular Jews may be atheists, agnostics or deists.

What Are Their Needs?

Since Yehudic Jews are from a different cultural background than other Jews in the UK, a separate outreach may be necessary reach them for the Lord.

Prayer Points

Ask the Lord to send English believers to build friendships with Yahudic Jews and demonstrate God's love to them.
Pray that God raises up a Messianic disciple making movement among the Yahudic Jews of the UK.
Pray that more and more Yahudic Jews if the UK would be willing to investigate the claims of Jesus Christ.
Pray that God would open the spiritual eyes of the Jews as they read and study the Old Testament.