Holocaust effect on current Jewish population staggering
A world-renowned expert in Jewish demography estimates the world’s Jewish population would be at least 26 million today had there been no Holocaust…but the current figure is estimated to be no more than 13.2 million.In an article yet to be published in “Bishvil Hazikoran”, the journal of the International School for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem, Professor Sergio DellaPergola outlines the demographic damage caused by the Shoah.
In the article DellaPergola, a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, claims that today’s population could have been as high as 32 million.
He cites many reasons including the destruction of cultural frameworks, preventing Jews from marrying, or if they did, having small families; intermarriage seen as a safe way of escaping oppression; the significant difference in numbers of males murdered over females creating a further contribution to mixed marriage; the murder of so many children.
His two figures are based on the post-war lifestyles of those Jews trapped in Eastern Europe where conditions were harsh creating small family structures. Had the Shoah and division of East and West not occurred, he claims today’s population would be in the vicinity of 32 million.
DellaPergola has revealed that more than 60 years after the Holocaust, the Jewish people have not succeeded in restoring even half the losses sustained during the war.
The world’s Jewish population in 1939 was 16.5 million.
