ICC NOTE: In a location which most people would not imagine a Jewish community to reside, there remains one of the only all Jewish towns outside of Israel. Azerbaijan is considered to be the gateway to the Islamic world as it is nestled in the Caucuses region beside the Caspian Sea. Here, up in the hills and mountains sits a Jewish village maintaining it cultural and religious heritage among a Shi’a dominant majority nation. The community would state the administration has been more of a protector than a persecutor, which by the fact they remain barely affected seems to hold true. Unfortunately that cannot be said for many Christians in the country. Arbitrary registration laws, limits upon what can and cannot be done, and various individuals risking Soviet style monitoring are a constant fear for Azeri Christians. Currently, three Azeri Christian pastors remain inside an Iranian prison awaiting trial or release. If they are released and returned home, they still face possible investigation by local Azeri authorities placing them once again at risk. 

8/26/2016 Azerbaijan (Eurasia Net) – Beyond Azerbaijan’s bustling capital city of Baku, with its modern skyline now defined by flame-shaped glass towers, is an abundance of ethnic diversity. Living in compact settlements nestled among the lush green hills and snow-capped mountains of Azerbaijan are about 50 different ethnic populations speaking over 40 languages.

Krasnaya Sloboda (Red Town) is one such hamlet. Named for its red roofs that visually pop from nearby highland lookouts, it is one of the only all-Jewish towns outside of Israel.

Just off Krasnaya Sloboda’s center square, inside its main chaykana (a traditional Azeri teahouse usually reserved for the exclusive use of men), I interrupted an intense game of backgammon. Here, I met Anatoliy, the town’s synagogue keeper, who was eager to explain the history of the Mountain Jews in Azerbaijan.

He took me on a tour, pointing out historic sites, including the cemetery reserved exclusively for Mountain Jews, and the renovated homes of prominent individuals in the community. A lavish wedding hall overlooks the Qudyal River, and on the other side, Anatoliy pointed to the Muslim city of Quba.

“We’ve always lived peacefully here in Krasnaya Sloboda with our Muslim neighbors,” he said. “Our mutual respect for one another allowed the Mountain Jews to preserve our unique and ancient customs.”

The Mountain Jews have inhabited the region since the 13th century, but the existence of a modern-day shtetl in Azerbaijan is surprising mainly because the country predominately adheres to Shi’a Islam.
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