Quick Facts
Place of Origin: Israel is located in the Middle East. In the west, Israel is bound by the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanon and Syria border it to the north, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the southwest and the Red Sea to the south.
Religion: 74.2% Jewish, 17.8% Muslim, 2.0% Christian, and 1.6% Druze.
Population: 9.053 million
The meaning of the Israeli flag: The light blue and white on the Israeli flag represents the colors of the land of Judah. The star on the flag is the Star of David, also known as “Magen David” which in Hebrew means, “Shield of David.”
Meaning of Sabra: A Sabra (Hebrew צַבָּר, tzabar) is any Jew born in Israel.
Status in GTA: There are no known evangelical churches in the GTA whose members are primarily Israeli Sabra Jews in GTA, but there are some focused gospel proclamation & pre-discipleship efforts among the Israeli Sabra Jews in the GTA.
When did the Israeli Sabra / Yeshivish Jews first come to Canada?
Israeli Sabra Jews began to immigrate slowly to Toronto in the late 1700s and early 1800s because of familial ties and the hope of better opportunities in Canada. The total Jewish population in Canada as of 2013 was approximately 391 665 and may well have passed 400 000 by now, surpassed only by Jewish populations in Israel and USA. Israeli Sabra Jewish have populated Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, Victoria, London, Halifax, Windsor, Kitchener, and Kingston.
Where do Israeli Sabra / Yeshivish Jews predominantly gather in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)?
Israeli Sabra / Yeshivish Jews have a large presence in the North York district, also in Vaughn, Markham, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket, and Northern Brampton.
Population estimate in the GTA: 7,700+
What are Israeli Sabra / Yeshivish Jews' lives like?
- Israeli Sabra Jews in the GTA are very well educated, and they most likely form the most highly educated ethnic group in Canada.
- They are hard-working individuals, and that is why they donate a lot to Jewish charities.
- Israeli Sabara Jews like to connect socially.
- Most Jews are drawn to books and films that are centered around a Jewish theme.
- The majority of the Canadian Jews are quite modernised.
- Most Israeli Sabra Jews only attend the synagogue a few times per year. One of the synagogues in Toronto is Kiever Synagogue.
What do Israeli Sabra / Yeshivish Jewish people believe?
- Most Israeli Sabra & Yeshivish Jewish in the GTA believe in leading a moral and ethical life, remembering the Holocaust, and celebrating Jewish holidays as essential for being Jewish.
- Going to the synagogue and praying is a crucial part of highly-committed Israeli Sabra & Yeshivish Jewish belief and practice.
- They invest a lot of time and resources into Jewish organizations or causes.
- Jewish people in the GTA have a strong connection with Israel because of their beliefs.
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