Persons of Jewish religion as a percentage of the resident population

Religious affiliation in Switzerland has changed hugely in recent decades. Christianity has lost members to smaller religious communities and in particular, to atheism (in 1970: 97.5% and in 2016: 66.9%). The proportion of the population with no religious affiliation has risen from 1.2% in 1970 to 24.9% in 2016. Primarily due to immigration, the proportion of Muslims has likewise grown considerably (in 1970: 0.2% and in 2016: 5.2%). In contrast, the proportion of Jews has remained constant in recent decades (in 1970: 0.4% and in 2016: 0.3%).

Judaism
The first Jewish community settled in Switzerland in the 13th century. Members of the Jewish community experienced difficult times again and again: for example, in the Middle Ages, Jews were subject to accusations and persecutions due to the Black Death, which often ended in executions. In addition, Jews had to pay higher taxes and were driven out of the cities. Equal legal status with the rest of the citizens was only acquired in the late 19th century. Although Switzerland took in 23,000 Jewish refugees before and during the Second World War, more than 30,000 Jews were also turned away at the border. Today, the Jewish community in Switzerland numbers approximately 18,000 members in 24 religious communities. The biggest communities are found in the cities of Zurich, Geneva and Basel. In some cantons, (Basel Stadt, Bern, Fribourg and St. Gallen), Jewish communities have the same status as the national church.

Islam
With the immigration of Yugoslavian and Turkish migrant workers and the influx of asylum seekers, the number of Muslims living in Switzerland has risen in recent decades. Islam is organised in a very varied way due to different origins and cultures. Today around 450,000 Muslims live in Switzerland. Islam is therefore the second biggest religion in Switzerland after Christianity.

Hinduism
The first Hindu influence arrived in Switzerland with the opening of a yoga school in Zurich in 1948. More spiritual gurus visited Switzerland in the decades that followed, spreading Hindu ideology. Many Tamils fled to Switzerland when the civil war broke out in Sri Lanka in 1983. Today around 50,000 Hindus live in Switzerland, and there are over 20 Hindu Tamil temples. Hinduism is therefore the third biggest religion in Switzerland.

Buddhism
The first Buddhist institutions were initiated around 100 years ago, mostly by intellectuals and writers. However, it was only in the second half of the 20th century that Buddhism experienced an increase in popularity. After the forced incorporation of Tibet into the People’s Republic of China, refugees in Switzerland built the first centre in Rikon in the canton of Zurich. Since then, the number of monasteries, centres and meditation groups has steadily grown. Buddhism continues to be shaped by immigrants who follow varying traditions. Today approximately 37,000 Buddhists live in Switzerland.

Atheism
The number of people who do not belong to any religious community has risen sharply in the past decades. Today, with numbers of 1.75 million (2016), atheists are almost as numerous as members of the Evangelical Reformed Church. The majority live in the Canton of Basel Stadt, where, at 45%, they make up almost half of the population. Two other cities are ranked next: Neuchâtel (42%) und Geneva (37%).