When Did Judaism Reach Europe?

The Jewish presence in Europe began with the Roman conquest of Judea (63 BCE) and the subsequent diaspora. Key milestones:

• 1st–2nd centuries CE: Jewish communities established in Rome, southern Gaul, Spain, and along the Rhine after the Jewish–Roman wars (70 CE, 135 CE).
• Early Middle Ages: Settlements in France, Germany (Ashkenaz), Italy, Byzantine territories.
• High Middle Ages: Eastward migration to Poland-Lithuania (invited by rulers), creating the largest pre-WWII European Jewish population.

Thus, Judaism has been in Europe for over 2,000 years, with continuous communities since antiquity.