World Jewish Population 16,300,000, Survey Shows

The world Jewish population numbers 16,300,000, as compared with 4,000,000 in 1850, according to a summary of the work of Dr. Erwin Rawicz, noted Jewish statistician, reported in the C.-V. Zeitung, organ of the Central Union of Jews in Germany.

Approximately 80 per cent of the Jewish population resides in three main communal centers. They are Eastern Europe, comprising Poland, the U.S.S.R., Rumania and the Baltic States, Where dwell about 7,500,000 Jews or 45 per cent; the United States, about 4,500,000 or some 27 per cent; and the Mediterranean basin states about 1,333,000 or some 8 per cent.

Dr. Rawicz attributes this vast population increase to world economic developments and industrialization during the latter half of the 19th century which eventuated in emancipation of Jews in most European countries and their release from “ghetto” restrictions.

From just over 4,000,000 in 1850, the total rose to nearly 6,000,000 in 1880 and to nearly 10,000,000 in 1900–an increase of 400 per cent in one century against a heavy drop during the previous 2,000 years. The first third of the present century resulted in a further jump of more than 50 per cent, bringing the Jewish population to its present 16,300,000.

The survey discloses that there is no country in the world to which Jews have failed to emigrate in modern times in their search for a livelihood or in their flight from persecution.

The Jewish population of Germany is given as 400,000, compared with an estimated 550,000 at the time of Adolf Hitler’s advent to power in 1933. The number of Jews in Palestine is given as 395,000.

By continents, the survey shows, there are 9,736,000 in Europe, including Turkey in Asia and Russia; 560,000 in Africa; 936,000 in Asia; 5,031,000 in North and South America and 27,900 in Australia and New Zealand.