Jewish Student Numbers Rise in Baku; Community Plans Expansion

The number of Jewish students in Baku, Azerbaijan, is steadily increasing, prompting the local Jewish community to consider expanding its educational facilities. The Jewish program, integrated within State School No. 46, currently serves over 100 students who study the national curriculum alongside Hebrew, Jewish history, and tradition. Rabbi Zamir Isayev, head of the Sephardic community in Baku since 2008, leads this educational initiative.

Isayev recently celebrated his 45th birthday with a community event held in a Sukkah, attended by community members and Azerbaijani government officials. During the celebration, he received a formal letter of commendation from Ramin Mammadov, Chairman of the Azerbaijani State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations. Mammadov praised the Sephardic community's activities and its contributions to public and cultural life, interfaith dialogue, and the nation's tradition of coexistence. He emphasized that protecting national and spiritual values, promoting tolerance, multiculturalism, and interfaith dialogue are state priorities under President Ilham Aliyev.

The consistent growth in student enrollment is seen by the community as a significant indicator of the vitality of Jewish life in Baku and the confidence of Jewish families in providing their children with a Jewish education while fully integrating into local society. Rabbi Isayev is also active internationally, working to strengthen ties between Azerbaijan, Israel, and the United States, often visiting Washington and Jerusalem for diplomatic and public events. He recently met with Eric Trump to discuss the Caucasus region. Isayev considers his educational work paramount, viewing each new student as crucial for the continuity of the Jewish community and the next generation's connection to their heritage.