The Kurdistani Jews of Israel

The Kurdistani Jews of Israel, numbering approximately 13,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an ethnoreligious community of Kurdit-speaking Jews in Israel. They are an Indigenous people, in the Jews people cluster of the Jewish Peoples affinity bloc. Their primary religion is Judaism. They primarily speak Lishana Deni.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Jew, Kurdistani

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
Country: Israel
People Cluster: Jews
Primary Language(s): Lishana Deni (lsd)
Primary Religion(s): Judaism
Population: 13,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Unengaged and Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Active CP Activity
People Group ID: PG011749
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Kurdistani Jews of Israel

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Judaism
Religious Affiliation: Judaism

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Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Lishana Deni
Language Family: Afro-Asiatic

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Media Resources in Lishana Deni:

Films:

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Bible Resources in Lishana Deni:

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Or check out the Lishana Deni bible resources at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

Next steps for the Kurdistani Jews

The Kurdistani Jews are Unengaged and Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations among which there are no known efforts focused on establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Begin signifcant prayer and fasting for this group
Send cross-cultural teams to discover and research this people group
Begin gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group

Next steps for the Kurdistani Jews

The Kurdistani Jews are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Continue prayer and fasting for this group
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Next steps for the Kurdistani Jews

The Kurdistani Jews are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Kurdistani Jews of Israel

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!
readPsalm 46:10

Pray that those who do not yet worship Jesus will be still and know that He is God, that He will be exalted among them and in all the earth.

"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet."
readMatthew 5:13

Pray that the lost will have the opportunity to hear a Christian witness of how the gospel can bring hope and that they will put their faith in Christ.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
readJohn 10:27

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will hear God's voice and will have the great assurance that no one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.

And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
readLuke 18:29-30

Pray that God will raise up people to go and share the gospel and help them trust His promise that anyone who has left those they treasure for the sake of the kingdom of God will receive many times more in this life and in the life to come.

Jew, Kurdit (ROP3 - 105454) reported in the following countries:

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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