Notes
In the first installment of A Billion Jews, Isaac Ofek began an ambitious task: catalog Jewish experiences in more than one hundred nations. His work was inspired by the realization that while equally old cultures have populations numbering in the billions, the worldwide population of Jews is only 14.5 million.
Seeking to resolve this discrepancy, Ofek researched how different nations have treated their Jewish populations. He chronicles a long history of Jewish persecution—oppression that often forced Jews to relocate and sometimes proved deadly for entire communities. He also found hope for the future.
Part two continues Ofek’s work. Each chapter outlines the Jewish experience in a different nation. Ofek intersperses historical fact with recollections of international travels and research.
The western story of Judaism is one of suffering—but also persistence, courage, and a quiet defiance of the odds. It’s a story continuing today. Many of the historical events Ofek uncovers are haunting and smack of modern anti-Semitism. Today, fewer than fifteen million Jews walk the earth. They should number in the billions. Ofek explains why they don’t and how despite an often-grim history, the Jewish people still strive to be “a light unto the nations.”
