Louisville Metro’s Jewish community has a long and rich history. Many of Louisville’s original Jewish inhabitants were of German and Polish origin, and in the early 1880s Yiddish would have been more commonly heard than English around downtown’s Preston Street. Many Jews came to Louisville during and after World War II, and since 1973, many Russian refugees have been resettled in Louisville and now account for ten percent of the Jewish population.

Louisville Metro is home to a number of synagogues, temples, Jewish organizations and agencies. Jewish Hospital, founded in 1903, is one of the area’s largest hospitals, and serves the surrounding communities with a regional network of more than 50 health care facilities.

Today’s Jewish community offers a wide range of cultural, religious, and philanthropic activities to its members and is an invaluable part of Louisville Metro’s diverse quilt of communities.