More Jews than America

last updated 8 January 2015

Jerusalem

Israel’s Jewish population will overtake the U.S.’s Jewish population next year for the first time ever, Tel Aviv’s Ha’aretz reported this week. For decades, the U.S. has had the largest Jewish population in the world. Today, about 5.28 million Jews live in the U.S., while 5.24 million live in Israel. But in its latest study of demographic trends, the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute predicts that the U.S.’s Jewish population will remain steady next year, while Israel’s will rise, surpassing the U.S.’s Jewish population. Most other countries will see a drop in Jewish populations that will continue for at least 15 years.