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The term "Ashkenazi" refers to Jews of eastern European origin, primarily those who spoke Yiddish. Historically, Ashkenazi Jews lived in the Rhineland and neighboring France before migrating eastward to Slavic lands. They differ from Sephardic Jews in their pronunciation of Hebrew, cultural traditions, synagogue liturgy, and the widespread use of Yiddish.123

The Ashkenazi style of Hebrew writing shows influences from French and German Gothic styles, particularly the "black-letter" styles. This resulted in complex pen strokes and variations in pen slant within individual characters, reflecting the Gothic styles used for western European languages in the late Middle Ages.4

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