Jewish Language Research Website

Map: Jewish Languages Past and Present

This map represents the diversity of Jewish languages around the world and throughout history. If you hold your mouse over a shaded area, you will see what language was spoken there at some point in the past or present. Click on it for more information. The areas shaded for each language are only approximate.

Some areas have been home to several Jewish languages (e.g., Judeo-Berber, Hakitía, Judeo-Arabic, and Jewish French in Morocco; Judeo-Slavic, Yiddish, and Jewish Russian in some Slavic lands). In order to represent all periods of history in one map, each area includes only one language and does not present information on variation, chronology, bilingualism, etc.

The map combines information from several sources, including Lowenstein's The Jewish Cultural Tapestry and articles in the Jewish Language Review (published in Haifa 1981-1987). This map was conceived by Sarah Bunin Benor, designed by Leah Helfgott, and edited based on the suggestions of several Jewish language experts.

Select a location Karaim Jewish Spanish Jewish English Judeo-Portuguese Judeo-Portuguese Jewish English Jewish Spanish Jewish Spanish Jewish Spanish Jeiwsh Spanish Jewish Spanish Jewish Spanish Jewish English Jewish English Yiddish Click to Enlarge Judeo-Tadjik/Bukharan Jewish English Jewish Malayalam Hebrew Judeo-Georgian Jewish Aramaic Judeo-Iranian Judeo-Arabic Judeo-Arabic Judeo-Arabic Judeo-Arabic Judeo-Portuguese Judeo-Berber Judeo-French Judeo-Alsatian Jewish Dutch Judeo-Provencal Judeo-Greek Judeo-Crimean Tatar/Krimchak Judeo-Spanish / Judezmo / Ladino Judeo-Spanish / Judezmo / Ladino Judeo-Italian Jewish Russian Judeo-Tat/Juhuric Yiddish Yiddish Yiddish Yiddish Judeo-Portuguese Jewish Polish Judeo-Slavic/Canaanic Yiddish Jewish English