Algerian Jewish Sign Language is unique in having moved from the village’s original location to a new one, in another country. Therefore, it offers a rare opportunity to investigate the influence of immigration on a village sign language. The community is originally from Ghardaia, Algeria (see the map). However, this unique socio-linguistic characteristic also makes the language seriously endangered. Most Deaf Algerian Jews in Israel married spouses from other origins. Therefore, most of them do not use the language with their spouses and children, only with their parents (if still alive), siblings and relatives from their original family. With their spouses and children, they use Israeli Sign Language (ISL).
Therefore, most of the Deaf Algerian signers in Israel are bilingual
