Jewish Community in Baku Sees Growth in New School Year

The new academic year has commenced at Jewish educational institutions in Baku, Azerbaijan, with community leaders reporting a significant increase in student enrollment in schools and kindergartens. This growth is seen as a reflection of the strengthening Jewish life in the city, which boasts a comprehensive community infrastructure including synagogues, a rabbinical court, kashrut services, Torah classes, and welfare programs. An estimated 15,000 Jews, comprising Mountain Jews, Ashkenazim, Sephardim, and Jews of Georgian descent, reside in Baku.

Rabbi Zamir Isayev, the Chief Rabbi and Chairman of the Sephardic Community in Baku, has been instrumental in expanding community institutions and bolstering educational, kashrut, religious, and Torah activities. He also represents the Jewish community to authorities and internationally, highlighting Jewish life in Azerbaijan as an example of open and secure coexistence in a Muslim-majority country.

The Jewish educational system in Baku encompasses schools and kindergartens, with ongoing Torah classes for all ages, special programs for women, and events celebrating Jewish holidays. This expansion is particularly meaningful given the history of limited Jewish life under Soviet rule, with a new generation now receiving organized and public Jewish education.

Three active synagogues and community centers operate in Baku. The main community center and large synagogue serve the Ashkenazi and Georgian communities, housing a Chabad house with daily prayer services, Torah classes, and Shabbat meals. The synagogue of the Mountain Jews, the largest Jewish community in Azerbaijan, is a prominent center supported by local authorities. These synagogues host not only religious services but also community events, classes, and family gatherings.

The community also operates a local rabbinical court for marriage registration, Jewish status inquiries, and Halachic guidance, alongside a developing kashrut system that includes local kosher meat, food product supervision, and a newly opened dairy restaurant, with plans for more kosher establishments. Baku has also become a popular tourist destination for Israelis, with a noticeable presence of Israeli visitors contributing to the demand for community services.

Preparations are underway for the High Holidays (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) and Sukkot and Simchat Torah, with thousands of Jewish visitors expected to join the local community for prayers and festive meals. This influx presents a logistical challenge for the community, requiring arrangements for prayer spaces, meals, kosher food, and additional services while maintaining regular operations for local residents. A comprehensive welfare system, including a soup kitchen, social assistance, and a local Chevra Kadisha (burial society), further supports the community.