An Ashkenazi Jew (also spelled Ashkenazic) is a Jew whose ancestry traces back to Central and Eastern Europe, especially countries like Germany, Poland, Russia, Hungary, Lithuania, and others in that region.

Key Facts:

• Name origin: The word Ashkenaz originally referred to a region in medieval Jewish tradition, often associated with Germany. So Ashkenazi means “of Ashkenaz” or “from Germany.”
• Language: Ashkenazi Jews historically spoke Yiddish, a blend of Hebrew, German, and Slavic languages.
• Customs and Religious Practices: They follow Ashkenazi traditions in Jewish law (halacha), pronunciation of Hebrew, holiday customs, and synagogue liturgy—distinct from Sephardi or Mizrahi Jews.
• Historical Migration: After centuries in Europe, many Ashkenazi Jews immigrated to the United States, Canada, Israel, South Africa, and Argentina, especially during times of persecution like the pogroms and the Holocaust.
• Population: Today, the majority of Jews in the U.S. and a large proportion in Israel are of Ashkenazi descent.