"... an ethnic and linguistic group, concentrated in Central Asia, particularly in the area of the Uzbek and Tadzhik Republics. The term "Bukharan Jewry" was coined by European travelers who visited Central Asia before the Russian conquest; it derived from the fact that at that time most of the community lived under the Emir of Bukhara. The members of the community call themselves "Isro'il" or "Yahudi." They speak a distinct dialect of the Tajik language, the so-called Judeo-Tajik, defined also as the Judeo-Tajik language. In Uzbekistan the largest concentrations are in Samarkand, the second largest city in the Uzbek Republic, Tashkent (capital of the Republic), Bukhara, Kokand and other cities. In Tadzhikistan they can be found mainly in the capital, Dushanbe. A considerable number of Jews of Bukharan origin can be found in Israel." [September 2002] [Source: http://www.heritagefilms.com/TAJIKISTAN.html - link no longer operational July 2008]

       "A Bukharan (Farsi) majority and Ashkenazic and Sephardic minorities constitute Tajikistan's tiny Jewish community of 2,000. Activity is centered in Dushanbe, the capital, where each Jewish group maintains a community center. These Jews also supported a synagogue, several schools, and a cultural organization. There are smaller concentrations of Jews in Leninabad Oblast and the Fergana Valley region. Overall, the Jewish community functions, although many community activities halted once the civil war broke out. The community centers have been working with the Israeli government to facilitate Tajik Jews' immigration to Israel. The tendency in Tajikistan is definitely toward emigration, although some Jews are staying to care for elderly relatives and for other
reasons. " http://www.fsumonitor.com/stories/asem1taj.shtml [September 2002]

     "Another group that is indigenous to Central Asia are the Bukharan Jews, who along with the European Jewry, numbered 14,000 in Tajikistan. In the fall of 1992, when the civil war in Tajikistan was full-blown, the Israeli government evacuated most of Tajikistan's Jewish population. Today 2,000 Jews reside in Tajikistan."
Source: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/tajikistanupdate/culture.html#et [September 2001]



DUSHANBE:
    Most Tajik Jews live in this capital. Thousands of Jews left due to violence sparked by civil war between rival Muslim factions. "Most Jewish activity occurs in Dushanbe with a synagogue, schools, and community centers. The rabbi of Tashkent is involved in overseeing the religious needs of this small community. The future in Tajikistan is uncertain, especially for the many elderly and sick people who cannot emigrate. The Jewish Community of Tajikistan is a full member of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the C.I.S." Source (this information no longer posted): http://www.fjc.ru [January 2004]

SHAKHRISABZ: