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People group profile · PG011727

The Alawites of Israel

The Alawites of Israel, numbering about 2,400 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Alawite Arab community centered on the village of Ghajar straddling the Lebanon-Golan Heights border, who chose Syrian nationality in 1932 but invited Israeli forces into their village in 1967, later accepting Israeli citizenship.

They are an indigenous people in the Arab, Levant people cluster of the Arab Peoples. Their primary religion is Shia Islam, and they primarily speak Levantine Arabic.

Pray for the AlawitesPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Alawites people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Alawites

Fast facts

Country
Israel
Population
2,400
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Arab, Levant
Primary language
Levantine Arabic (apc)
Primary religion
Shia Islam
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
Western Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Alawites are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Alawites

  • 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

Primary religion

Shia Islam · Islam

99% adherents

Primary language

Levantine Arabic · Afro-Asiatic family

100% speak Levantine Arabic

Gospel resources in Levantine Arabic

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Alawites

  1. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  2. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  3. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  4. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.

Download a prayer guide

Alawite in other countries

The same people (ROP3 114499) is reported in 3 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
AlawitesSyria2,345,000Engaged yet Unreached
AlawitesTurkiye1,320,000Unengaged and Unreached
AlawitesLebanon82,500Engaged yet Unreached

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