Circassians in Israel
| Адыгэхэу Исраэл исыхэр הצ'רקסים בישראל |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Total population | |
| c. 4,000–5,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Kfar Kama, Rehaniya | |
| Languages | |
| Hebrew, Circassian, English, Arabic | |
| Religion | |
| Sunni Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other Circassians |
Circassians in Israel (Adyghe: Адыгэхэу Исраэл исыхэр; Hebrew: הצ'רקסים בישראל) refers to the Circassian people who live in Israel.
Circassians in Israel are Sunni Muslims, and number about 4,000 and live primarily in two towns: Kfar Kama (Adyghe: Кфар Кама) and Rehaniya (Adyghe: Рихьаные). They are one of three minority groups in Israel drafted into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The Circassians arrived in the Middle East after they were expelled from their homeland in the northwestern Caucasus. The Circassians, who fought during the long period (see the Russian-Circassian War) wherein the Russians captured the northern Caucasus, were massacred and expelled by Czarist Russia from the Caucasus. The Ottoman Empire, which saw the Circassians as experienced fighters, absorbed them in their territory and settled them in sparsely populated areas, including the Galilee.
The Circassian exiles established Rehaniya in 1873, and Kfar Kama in 1876.
The Circassian community in Israel is well integrated into Israeli society. They speak both Adyghe and Hebrew, and many also speak Arabic and English, while cultivating their unique heritage and culture.
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