The Central Bureau of Statistics reported at the end of 2019 that the Christian population of Israel was approximately 177,000, or 2% of the overall population.
By 1947, on the eve of Israeli independence, the Christian population in Mandatory Palestine was 143,000 - 7% of the total population. Not much of a change in 72 years. Bethlehem was 85% Christian in 1947, the year before Israel became a state. Today, it is less than 20%. In Jerusalem, the Christian population in 1947 was 19%. Now it is just 2%. A visiting delegation in 2019 reported that Christians are no longer welcome in the Holy Land. The increase in Christians is an anomaly and good news compared to the 72 years trend of discrimination and growing dispossession.
Christianity in Israel is called Natsrut b'Yisrael (Hebrew: נצרות בישראל, romanized: natsrút b'yisra'él) in Modern Hebrew and al-Masihiat fi 'Iisrayiyl (Arabic: المسيحية في إسرائيل, romanized: almasīḥiyyāt fī ʾisrāʾīl) in Arabic.
Ten Christian churches are formally recognized under Israel's confessional system, for the self-regulation and state recognition of status issues, such as marriage and divorce: the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic Church, the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Latin Catholic Church, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, the Syriac Catholic Church, the Syriac Maronite Church, and the Syriac Orthodox Church.[citation needed] However, the practice of religion is free, with no restrictions on the practice of other denominations. Approximately 300 Christians have converted from Islam according to one 2014 estimate, and most of them are part of the Roman Catholic Church.[2] A certain number of Israelis also practice Messianic Judaism, usually considered a syncretist form of Christianity. The number of Messianic Jews in Israel is estimated at around 20,000. They are mostly classified "without religious affiliation" rather than Jewish or Christian.
In terms of demographics, Christians make up around two percent of the population in the state of Israel (177,000 people) as of the end of 2019.[3][4] Most of these (78%) are Arab Christians,[4] who are mostly adherents of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church (60% of Arab Christians).[5] Some 42% of all Israeli Christians are affiliated with the Melkite Greek Church, and 30%-32% with the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.[5] Smaller numbers are split between the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem with 13% of Christians, about 25,000 Russian Orthodox Christians (Russian Orthodox Church), about 15,000 Arameans (including 7,000 Maronites) who adhere to the Maronite and Syriac churches, 3,000 to 10,000 adherents of Armenian churches, 1,000 Assyrians affiliated with the Assyrian Churches[disambiguation needed], a community of around 1,000 Coptic Christians registered as "Arab Christians", although their Arab identity is disputed, and small branches of Protestants.
Israeli Christians are historically bound with neighbouring Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian Christians. The cities and communities where most Christians in Israel reside are Haifa, Nazareth, Jish, Mi'ilya, Fassuta and Kafr Yasif.[6] Arab Christians are one of the most educated groups in Israel. Maariv newspaper has described the Arab Christians sector as "the most successful in the education system",[7] since Arab Christians fared the best in terms of education in comparison to any other group receiving an education in Israel.[8]
Those are great points brother. I admit to being short of time, and thus need to attend to those activities that enable me to pay my bills. I hope you understand. I appreciate our conversation!! Have a great day.
The Central Bureau of Statistics reported at the end of 2019 that the Christian population of Israel was approximately 177,000, or 2% of the overall population.
By 1947, on the eve of Israeli independence, the Christian population in Mandatory Palestine was 143,000 - 7% of the total population. Not much of a change in 72 years. Bethlehem was 85% Christian in 1947, the year before Israel became a state. Today, it is less than 20%. In Jerusalem, the Christian population in 1947 was 19%. Now it is just 2%. A visiting delegation in 2019 reported that Christians are no longer welcome in the Holy Land. The increase in Christians is an anomaly and good news compared to the 72 years trend of discrimination and growing dispossession.
Christianity in Israel is called Natsrut b'Yisrael (Hebrew: נצרות בישראל, romanized: natsrút b'yisra'él) in Modern Hebrew and al-Masihiat fi 'Iisrayiyl (Arabic: المسيحية في إسرائيل, romanized: almasīḥiyyāt fī ʾisrāʾīl) in Arabic.
Ten Christian churches are formally recognized under Israel's confessional system, for the self-regulation and state recognition of status issues, such as marriage and divorce: the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic Church, the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Latin Catholic Church, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, the Syriac Catholic Church, the Syriac Maronite Church, and the Syriac Orthodox Church.[citation needed] However, the practice of religion is free, with no restrictions on the practice of other denominations. Approximately 300 Christians have converted from Islam according to one 2014 estimate, and most of them are part of the Roman Catholic Church.[2] A certain number of Israelis also practice Messianic Judaism, usually considered a syncretist form of Christianity. The number of Messianic Jews in Israel is estimated at around 20,000. They are mostly classified "without religious affiliation" rather than Jewish or Christian.
In terms of demographics, Christians make up around two percent of the population in the state of Israel (177,000 people) as of the end of 2019.[3][4] Most of these (78%) are Arab Christians,[4] who are mostly adherents of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church (60% of Arab Christians).[5] Some 42% of all Israeli Christians are affiliated with the Melkite Greek Church, and 30%-32% with the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.[5] Smaller numbers are split between the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem with 13% of Christians, about 25,000 Russian Orthodox Christians (Russian Orthodox Church), about 15,000 Arameans (including 7,000 Maronites) who adhere to the Maronite and Syriac churches, 3,000 to 10,000 adherents of Armenian churches, 1,000 Assyrians affiliated with the Assyrian Churches[disambiguation needed], a community of around 1,000 Coptic Christians registered as "Arab Christians", although their Arab identity is disputed, and small branches of Protestants.
Israeli Christians are historically bound with neighbouring Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian Christians. The cities and communities where most Christians in Israel reside are Haifa, Nazareth, Jish, Mi'ilya, Fassuta and Kafr Yasif.[6] Arab Christians are one of the most educated groups in Israel. Maariv newspaper has described the Arab Christians sector as "the most successful in the education system",[7] since Arab Christians fared the best in terms of education in comparison to any other group receiving an education in Israel.[8]
That's a lot of information for stating Christians are only 2% of the population. Prior to 1947, it was 7%.
Those are great points brother. I admit to being short of time, and thus need to attend to those activities that enable me to pay my bills. I hope you understand. I appreciate our conversation!! Have a great day.