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Source: https://blog.nli.org.il/en/hoi_circassians-in-israel/
The Circassians in Israel: From the Caucasus Mountains to the Galilee
(National Library of Israel) Shir Aharon Bram - The vast majority of the 5,000 Circassians in Israel live in the Galilee villages of Kfar Kama and Rehaniya. When the Russian Empire conquered the Caucasus in the 1860s, a million Circassians found refuge in the Ottoman Empire, including in the Land of Israel. In the 1948 war, the Circassians, who are Sunni Muslims, chose to fight alongside the Jews, and ever since they have fulfilled their compulsory service in the IDF. Every Circassian child learns Hebrew, English, Adyghe (the Circassian language) and Arabic, and some also study Russian and Turkish. Their schools mark the Circassian Day of Mourning on May 21, which commemorates the Circassian genocide and the exile of the Circassian people from their homeland. Most Circassians prefer to marry among themselves but have integrated into Israeli society and work in all sectors of the economy. Bibars Natkho, the captain of Israel's national soccer team, is a Circassian from Kfar Kama.