Jews in Tajikistan
Encyclopedia
Jews and Judaism
in Tajikistan
have a long and varied history. Most Jews in Tajikistan were originally Bukharian Jews.
, in what is today Tajikistan
, in the 2nd century BC. After the Communists came to power they organized the country into republics, including Tajikistan, which was first formed as an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan
in 1924, and in 1929 became a full-fledged republic.
In an effort to develop Tajikistan, Soviet authorities encouraged migration, including thousands of Jews from neighboring Uzbekistan. Most Jews settled in Dushanbe
, the capital of Tajikistan, where they opened the Dushanbe synagogue
. During the Second World War a second wave of Ashkenazic Jews migrated to Tajikistan.
In the USSR, including Tajikistan, beginning in the 1970s
, Jews who were able, began to emigrate
to the United States
and also to Israel
. By the late 1980s, many of Tajikistan's Jews had left. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union
in 1991, Tajikistan gained independence and the country fell into a state of civil war
. In 1992-1993 most of the country's few thousand Jews were evacuate
d to Israel
or to the United States
. They later gained an American/Israeli nationality and citizenship and no longer hold a citizenship or connection to Tajikistan.
During the 1990s most the remaining 1,000 or so Jews emigrated. One tragic event in the Jewish community was the murder of journalist
Meirkhaim Gavrielov
in 1998. Today, only a hundred Jews are left in Tajikistan, most of them are Ashkenazi as almost no Bukharian Jews are left in Tajikistan.
As of 2006, the Dushanbe
synagogue was the last remaining synagogue in the country, and was actively being used for worship. However, the Tajik government ordered the local Jewish community to vacate the synagogue, which was going to be demolished for a new presidential palace. After the destruction of the community's mikvah
, kosher butcher, and several classrooms in February 2006, the demolition was temporarily halted due to international protests. The synagogue was finally razed by municipal court order in the end of June 2008, and the community was allocated a site in the western part of Dushanbe to build a new synagogue with financing from international Jewish organizations and private donors. Because of this incident, many Americans and Israelis of Tajik Jewish descent have negative views toward the Government of Tajikistan.
The new synagogue of Dushanbe was opened on 4 May 2009 in an existing building donated for this purpose by Hasan Assadullozoda, a Tajikistani businessman and the brother-in-law of President Emomalii Rakhmon. The opening ceremony was attended by U.S. Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson
, Tajik Deputy Culture Minister Mavlon Mukhtorov, and Imam Habibullo Azamkhonov.
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
in Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
have a long and varied history. Most Jews in Tajikistan were originally Bukharian Jews.
History
Jews first arrived in the eastern part of the Emirate of BukharaEmirate of Bukhara
The Emirate of Bukhara was a Central Asian state that existed from 1785 to 1920. It occupied the land between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, known formerly as Transoxiana. Its core territory was the land along the lower Zarafshan River, and its urban centres were the ancient cities of...
, in what is today Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
, in the 2nd century BC. After the Communists came to power they organized the country into republics, including Tajikistan, which was first formed as an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
in 1924, and in 1929 became a full-fledged republic.
In an effort to develop Tajikistan, Soviet authorities encouraged migration, including thousands of Jews from neighboring Uzbekistan. Most Jews settled in Dushanbe
Dushanbe
-Economy:Coal, lead, and arsenic are mined nearby in the cities of Nurek and Kulob allowing for the industrialization of Dushanbe. The Nurek Dam, the world's highest as of 2008, generates 95% of Tajikistan's electricity, and another dam, the Roghun Dam, is planned on the Vakhsh River...
, the capital of Tajikistan, where they opened the Dushanbe synagogue
Dushanbe synagogue
The Dushanbe Synagogue, also known as the Bukharian Synagogue, located in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, was constructed in the 19th century in one of the two Jewish Quarters in Dushanbe at the time. It was part of the Jewish community compound, which also included ritual buildings and a school...
. During the Second World War a second wave of Ashkenazic Jews migrated to Tajikistan.
In the USSR, including Tajikistan, beginning in the 1970s
Aliyah from the Soviet Union in the 1970s
In the 1970s a major immigration wave of Soviet Union Jews went to Israel.-Background:A mass emigration was politically undesirable for the Soviet regime. In the wake of Israel's victory in the Six-Day War in 1967, the USSR broke off the diplomatic relations with the Jewish state...
, Jews who were able, began to emigrate
Emigrate
Emigrate is a heavy metal band based in New York, led by Richard Z. Kruspe, the lead guitarist of the German band Rammstein.-History:Kruspe started the band in 2005, when Rammstein decided to take a year off from touring and recording...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and also to Israel
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
. By the late 1980s, many of Tajikistan's Jews had left. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
in 1991, Tajikistan gained independence and the country fell into a state of civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
. In 1992-1993 most of the country's few thousand Jews were evacuate
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...
d to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
or to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They later gained an American/Israeli nationality and citizenship and no longer hold a citizenship or connection to Tajikistan.
During the 1990s most the remaining 1,000 or so Jews emigrated. One tragic event in the Jewish community was the murder of journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
Meirkhaim Gavrielov
Meirkhaim Gavrielov
Meirkhaim Gavrielov was a journalist murdered in Tajikistan.- Life :Meirkhaim Gavrielov was a prominent member of Tajikistani media for fifty years. Gavrielov was born in 1927 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. He studied philology at Samarkand State Pedagogical Institute...
in 1998. Today, only a hundred Jews are left in Tajikistan, most of them are Ashkenazi as almost no Bukharian Jews are left in Tajikistan.
Dushanbe Synagogue
Dushanbe
-Economy:Coal, lead, and arsenic are mined nearby in the cities of Nurek and Kulob allowing for the industrialization of Dushanbe. The Nurek Dam, the world's highest as of 2008, generates 95% of Tajikistan's electricity, and another dam, the Roghun Dam, is planned on the Vakhsh River...
synagogue was the last remaining synagogue in the country, and was actively being used for worship. However, the Tajik government ordered the local Jewish community to vacate the synagogue, which was going to be demolished for a new presidential palace. After the destruction of the community's mikvah
Mikvah
Mikveh is a bath used for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism...
, kosher butcher, and several classrooms in February 2006, the demolition was temporarily halted due to international protests. The synagogue was finally razed by municipal court order in the end of June 2008, and the community was allocated a site in the western part of Dushanbe to build a new synagogue with financing from international Jewish organizations and private donors. Because of this incident, many Americans and Israelis of Tajik Jewish descent have negative views toward the Government of Tajikistan.
The new synagogue of Dushanbe was opened on 4 May 2009 in an existing building donated for this purpose by Hasan Assadullozoda, a Tajikistani businessman and the brother-in-law of President Emomalii Rakhmon. The opening ceremony was attended by U.S. Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson
Tracey Ann Jacobson
Tracey Ann Jacobson is an American diplomat and a former United States Ambassador to both Turkmenistan and Tajikistan.-Biography:Jacobson received her Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins University, and her Master of Arts from the Johns Hopkins University Paul H...
, Tajik Deputy Culture Minister Mavlon Mukhtorov, and Imam Habibullo Azamkhonov.