 Meet the Circassians! Hello! My name is India and today we are going to find out who exactly are the Circassians and how their community continues to thrive here in Israel. In north Israel, there is a small village called Kafar Kama. The people here are different from the rest of the country. They're dance, they're food, they're clothes. And everyone in this community has one thing in common. We are Circassians! But what does that mean? Well, Circassians come from a country that was once called Circassia, located in Eastern Europe. That country no longer exists, but their people certainly do. After the nation of Circassia was destroyed by the Russian Empire over 150 years ago, the Circassian people were expelled from the region, so many of them spread around the Middle East to places like Turkey, Jordan, and Israel. There are about 4,000 Circassians in Israel, and they are one of the smallest minority groups in Israel today. Most of them speak Hebrew. And their own language called Adigabza. Around their village, you can even see their language on signs. Circassians are Sunni Muslims. So in the center of the village, you can find a mosque made up with black and white stone. Although the Circassians are Muslim, they are not considered Arab. They are considered Caucasian because of their origins in the Caucasus region of Europe. Now, because of the Circassians' unique European origins, they do have some other special traditions that they still practice in Israel, like making cheese. Please take a piece. Circassians also love to dance. While dancing, they wear their iconic traditional garments. This is the men's attire, and this is the women's attire. Her dress is made in a way to make her appear to be floating over the ground. When we dance, we keep our culture alive, so it's very important to us. We invite you to our village to have fun with us. The Circassians are a close-knit community who remind us of how important it is to stay in touch with our roots. They believe culture is meant to be shared so that it can be preserved. And despite being a small minority in this world, their heritage is something they have not lost. These are the amazing Circassian people. This is Inside Israel. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you next time.