"Nearly 8,000 "Mountain Jews" live in the Azerbaijan in cities like Baku and in villages such as Krasnaya, Sloboda and Vartashen. These Jews descend from Iranian tribes that moved into the Azerbaijani mountains in the 5th and 6th centuries. They are separate from other Jewish communities in that they speak Tat, a unique New-Persian language, and have developed many practices and traditions in kind with Dagestan mountain tribes. They have traditionally been grain farmers and wine makers, and were allowed to retain many of their skills (although less of their culture) during the Soviet period. The community has become active again since the end of the Soviet period, but Azerbaijiani nationalism has recently threatened to curtail their revival."

"... an estimated 17,300 Jews in Azerbaijan at the end of 1993. The rate of immigration from Azerbaijan to Israel was high: 2,625 left Azerbaijan for Israel in 1992, and 3,133—in 1993. Source: WJC Communities website (see above) (current version does not contain this text)   [September 2002]
      UPDATE "Since 1989, 27,650 Azeri Jews have emigrated to Israel." Source: WJC Communities website (see above) (current version does not contain this text)   [September 2005]

Humanitarian Association of Jewish Women
370007 Baku Azerbaijan,
Prospect Azadlig 70, KB #50
Tel/Fax: (99-412) 40-36-27
E-mail: jwoar@azurotel.com
Dr. Larisa Efimovna Pehrudel, president

"Most Jews in this predominantly Muslim country live in the cities of Baku (12,000) and Kuba (2,000). Other communities exist, but none is larger than 500 people. The Jewish population comprises two different ethnic backgrounds. One of the two Jewish Azeri groups are Ashkenazim who settled in Azerbaijan in the last century. The other Jews are Caucasian Mountain Jews, known as Tats. The latter group speak a Jewish dialect called Judeo-Tat. During the period of Soviet rule, Tat religious and cultural institutions were closed and the Soviet policy of forced acculturation took its toll on Tat customs and language." http://www.fjc.ru [September 2002]

"... the Jeyshullah Islamic extremist organization, which tried to blow up the US embassy in the past, may be responsible for the desecration of a Jewish cemetery in Baku, Azerbaijan in mid-October, 2001. Mr. Ikhilov is quoted as saying that such incidents have happend before, including antisemitic grafitti on the walls of their (Mountain Jews') synagogue and antisemitic drawings and slogans on apartment house walls. The Azeri MVD has instituted a 24 hour guard post of the synagogue, though it is not clear if this was done recently or before. ...: 'In Ikhilov's words, today's tense situation does not allow the hope that the desecration of the cemetery will be the last antisemitic attack.' The same day, the Azerbaijani news agency Sharg reported that around 50 Jewish graves were destroyed in the attack. The head of the press service of the Islamic Party, Qurban Cabrayil, is quoted as pointing the finger at Jeyshulla. He added that police should arrest the culprits soon, otherwise Muslim graves may be desecrated in response, which is clearly absurd. Source: http://www.fsumonitor.com/stories/110601Azerba.shtml [September 2002]

(November 2, 2001) Fifty gravestones in a Jewish cemetery were desecrated in Baku, Azerbaijan, according to a November 2, 2001 report by Radio Liberty. The head of the Religious Community of Mountain Jews of Azerbaijan, Semyon Ikhilov, was quoted by Radio Liberty as saying that this is not the first time such an attack has taken place. The government of Azerbaijan has recently warned of the threat of rising Islamic extremism to Jewish and minority Christian groups and has closed some mosques associated with radical Islamic tendencies. Source: http://www.fsumonitor.com/stories/110201Azerba.shtml [September 2002]

Also see Hadassah Magazine October 1999. For a copy of the article contact Dorothy Silfen, at dsilfen@hadassah.org.

UPDATE: http://www.fsumonitor.com/stories/110601Azerba.shtml and http://www.fsumonitor.com/stories/110201Azerba.shtml for cemetery desecration in October 2001. The Jewish Community information: http://www.fjc.ru [August 2003]

"The Jewish settlement of Kuba has been inhabited by Jews since the 13th century. In 1742, a local ruler named Falikhan gave the Jews, who were being persecuted by Islamic fundamentalists, permission to settle on the left bank of the mountain river Kudiyal-Chay opposite his town. The community flourished, and its members proudly upheld their ancestors' tradition. By 1917, when the Bolsheviks came to power, the community was renamed "Krasnaya sloboda" (Red settlement), and it had grown to 18,000 people and had 13 synagogues. However, Stalin's reign of terror and forced assimilation left their mark on this mountain region. In 1937, five rabbis were assassinated, many others were sent into exile, and the only remaining spiritual leader of the community, Rabbi Noah Ilyaguyev, died in 1994. Although his son reads the Torah during the synagogue service, he is not qualified to be a rabbi. / There are only 6,000 Jews in Kuba now [1999]. Many Jews have left for the United States and Israel, but emigration has slowed down recently. There is one active synagogue and another one is being repaired."
Source (no longer available) http://www.yated.com/ancient.htm [September 2002]

"The two most famous Baku-born individuals with Jewish blood are the chess world's Gary Kasparov and the music world's Mstislav Rostropovich. Each had a Jewish parent. The pianist Bella Davidovich also hailed from Baku, as did Nobel Prize-winning physicist Lev (Leo) Landau." Source: Hadassah Magazine October 1999 For a copy of the article contact Dorothy Silfen, at dsilfen@hadassah.org. [September 2002]

• Balashov Cemetery:

UPDATE: "orthodox 'Gerim' community, Russians who converted to Judaism more than two hundred years ago, and strictly keep the Ashkenazi orthodox customs. ... Indeed, the earliest extant tombstone we found of 'Ger-Zedek' was dated 1841, but there existed an older cemetery, now totally destroyed. ...another minority group, the 'Sobbotniks.' They identify themselves as 'Karaim'and their 19th century tombstones are thus inscribed. The 'Sobbotniks,' who unfortunately are not welcome in Israel, will continue their life as a community, in two villages they founded in Russia. The 'Gerim,' however, will cease to exist as a homogenous group of converts to Judaism. Although they never had the opportunity to live with Ashkenazi Jews, they adhered to all their customs. Now they will disperse throughout Russian, and a remarkable chapter in the history of the Jewish people will come to its end. " [September 2002] [Source: Summer 1997, http://www.hum.huji.ac.il/cja/nl13-1.htm#Privolnoe - link no longer operational - July 2008]

QUBA: see KUBA

VARTASHEN: see OGUZ