FAQ: Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews

The term Sephardic derives from Sepharad, the Hebrew name traditionally associated with Spain. Historically, Sephardic Jews are descendants of Jewish communities that flourished on the Iberian Peninsula before the expulsions and forced conversions of the late fifteenth century. Following their dispersal, Sephardic Jews established communities throughout North Africa, the Ottoman Empire, Europe, and the Americas.

Today, Sephardic identity encompasses both ancestry and religious tradition. Many Jews whose ancestors lived in the Middle East and North Africa adopted Sephardic religious customs and identify as Sephardic despite having no known Iberian ancestry. Sephardic identity is therefore understood through a combination of family origins, religious practices, cultural traditions, and community affiliation.

Mizrahi means "Eastern" in Hebrew and generally refers to Jews whose ancestral communities originated in the Middle East and surrounding regions, including Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Syria, and parts of North Africa and Central Asia.

Although the term has become widely used, it is a relatively modern collective designation. Historically, many of these communities identified primarily through their countries of origin, local traditions, or broader Jewish religious affiliations.

JIMENA's 2025 study found that terminology varies considerably among American Jews of Middle Eastern and North African descent, with many preferring Sephardic or more specific community identities over Mizrahi.

Sephardic and Mizrahi identities are distinct but frequently overlap. Sephardic traditionally refers to Jews descended from Iberian communities and to those who follow Sephardic religious customs. Mizrahi generally describes Jews whose ancestral communities developed in the Middle East and surrounding regions.

For example, an Iraqi Jew may identify as both Mizrahi and Sephardic, while a Jew descended from Spanish exiles who settled in the Netherlands may identify as Sephardic but not Mizrahi.

Neither term captures the full diversity of these communities, and individual and communal self-identification should be respected.

Some Jews from Arabic-speaking countries identify as Arab Jews, while others reject the designation or prefer identities such as Iraqi Jewish, Moroccan Jewish, Sephardic, or Mizrahi.

Jewish communities existed throughout the Middle East and North Africa long before the Arab conquests of the seventh century. Over time, many adopted Arabic and participated in Arabic-speaking societies while maintaining distinct Jewish religious, communal, and cultural identities.

The term Arab Jew has different meanings across historical and contemporary contexts. No single designation accurately represents the identities or experiences of all Jews from Arab countries.

Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews have diverse racial and ethnic identities that cannot be accurately represented by a single American racial category.

JIMENA's 2025 demographic study found that the overwhelming majority of Sephardic and Mizrahi participants interviewed did not identify with the category "Jews of Color," although some did. Respondents identified in different ways, including as white, Middle Eastern, Hispanic, Asian, Black, or simply Jewish, while others rejected American racial classifications altogether.

The study emphasizes that Sephardic and Mizrahi identity is rooted in ancestry, religion, history, and culture, and should not automatically be equated with a particular racial designation.

JIMENA's landmark 2025 demographic study estimates that approximately 10% of American Jewish adults are Sephardic and/or Mizrahi.

Conducted by researchers at New York University and Brandeis University's Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies, the study analyzed national and local Jewish population surveys alongside original qualitative research. Depending on the survey methodology and definitions used, estimates ranged from 7% to 11% of American Jewish adults.

The study represents an important step toward addressing the historical underrepresentation of Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews in American Jewish demographic research.

American Sephardic and Mizrahi communities reflect numerous ancestral backgrounds, including Syrian, Persian, Moroccan, Iraqi, Bukharian, Turkish, Yemenite, and other Jewish traditions.

JIMENA's 2025 study includes in-depth portraits of four communities: Syrian Jews in Brooklyn, Persian Jews in Los Angeles, Bukharian Jews in Queens, Turkish and Greek Jews in Seattle, and Latin Sephardic Jews in South Florida. These communities maintain distinctive customs, institutions, family networks, and approaches to Jewish identity while contributing to the broader American Jewish landscape.