The EAJC Has Published a Study on the Jewish Community of Azerbaijan

The Institute for Euro-Asian Jewish Studies (IEAJS) has released a monographic report titled "The Jews of Azerbaijan and the Mountain Jewish Diaspora at the Turn of the Second and Third Decades of the 21st Century." The authors of the analytical study are IEAJS Director of Publishing Projects Dr. Velvl Chernin, IEAJS Academic Director Professor Ze'ev Khanin, and Member of the Academic Council of the Institute Professor Valery Dymshits.

The report presents a socio-cultural portrait of the Jewish community of Azerbaijan and the Mountain Jewish diaspora in other countries, primarily in Russia and Israel. The empirical data establishing the basis for the conclusions and practical recommendations derived from ethnographic and sociological field research conducted by the authors in recent years, as well as in-depth interviews with experts and historical archives. This project was conducted as part of a large-scale study of Jewish communities in the former USSR initiated by the EAJC.

The report was presented to the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Israel, Mukhtar Mamedov, during a working meeting with the President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), Dr. Mikhail Mirilashvili.

“For many years, the EAJC has been actively involved in facilitating the communal life of Azerbaijani Jewry and contributing to the advancement of Israeli-Azerbaijani cooperation. Concurrently, the analysis of the current state, alongside the study of the social and cultural heritage of Jewish diaspora communities, remains one of the core activities of the Institute for Euro-Asian Jewish Studies, which operates under the auspices of the EAJC,” the EAJC President remarked on the release of the study.

The official opening of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Israel in April 2023 marked a milestone in the development of bilateral relations. The establishment of a diplomatic mission in Israel was initiated during a personal meeting between the leadership of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress and the President of the Republic, Ilham Aliyev, as early as 2019. The EAJC leadership warmly welcomed the decision as a significant step towards the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

The local Jewish community, thriving under conditions of religious freedom and mutual respect, has played an essential role in fostering Israeli-Azerbaijani relations. The Jewish community of Azerbaijan represents a unique amalgam of diverse socio-cultural Jewish groups, offering exceptional historical and sociological interest.