Prototype rebuild by the IMB Innovation Team. The official site is peoplegroups.org.

People group profile · PG011772

The Deaf Israelis of Israel

The Deaf Israelis of Israel, numbering about 45,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a community of individuals who are culturally Deaf and actively participate in Deaf culture, often using sign language as their primary means of communication.

They are an indigenous people in the Deaf people cluster of the Deaf Peoples. Their primary religion is Judaism, and they primarily speak Israeli Sign Language.

Pray for the Deaf IsraelisPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Israel
Population
45,500
Affinity group
Deaf Peoples
People cluster
Deaf
Primary language
Israeli Sign Language (isr)
Primary religion
Judaism
Strategic Progress Index
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
Western Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Deaf Israelis are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 Deaf Israelis

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Judaism

Primary language

Israeli Sign Language · Sign Language family

20% speak Israeli Sign Language

Gospel resources in Israeli Sign Language

  • Bible available, published 2020
  • JESUS Film not available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings not available
  • Audio resources not available
  • Bible stories not available

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

Pray for the Deaf Israelis

  1. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  2. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  3. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  4. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.

Download a prayer guide

Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.