Uzbek Ethnic Groups: Jews


Figure 1.--Sanarkand is perhapd the most famed city on the Silk Road. The famed Tsarist photographer Prokudin-Gorskii in 1911 captured a remarable image of a group of Jewish boys, in traditional dress, studying with their teacher in Samarkand. Note that this is not a coloruzed photograph with imginary colors, but an early color image from a process developed by the photographer. We were a little surprized by the bright colors.

There was a Jewish community in central Asia, although the origins are poorly documented. The central Asian Jews may well pre-date European Jewery. The Jewish community of Uzbekistan may date from the destruction of the Temple and the Babylonian captivity. Or it may date from the Persian Empire that followed. Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to Palestine, but not all did. There were Jewish community within the Persian Empire. Laws about religion varied, but on the whole the Persians were tolerant toward conquered people as long as they accepted Persian authority. Of course Jews would only had to be concerned with the Persians, but with the laws and traditions of the principlities in which they lived, many of which were less tolerant than the Persians. The best known and probably oldest Jewish community in Uzbekistan is that of Bukhara. Its origins are not documented, but it may be over 2,000 years old. Legends adscribe its origins to variously. One repor suggests Jews fleeing from persecution in Persia about 1,500 years ago. Others suggest more recent origins, merchants on the Silk Road (7th century AD). Uzbek Jews were mostly city dwealers, mostly artisans and merchants, since laws prohibited land ownership. Jews survived the various invasions that swept over the region (Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, the Sardians, the Qarakhanids, the Seljuks, the Persians, the Turks, and the Chinese). The Jews of Central Asia were for the most part not vicuiously percecuted by the Muslims as was the case in European Christendom. The famed Tsarist photographer Prokudin-Gorskii in 1911 captured a remarable image of a group of Jewish boys, in traditional dress, studying with their teacher (figure 1).

Babylonian Captivity (586-516)

The period from the fall of Jerusalem (586 B.C.) to the reconstruction in PaleTstine of a new Jewish state (after 538 BC) is known as the Babylonian Captivity. A new empire arose in western Asia with the decline of the Assurian Empire, The Babylonian Empire gradually expanded and defeated the Assyrians. The ews under their king Josiah were allied with the Asyrians. The Egyptians dispateched troops to assist the Babylonians, but Josiah and the Jews at the battle of Megiddo blocked the Egyptian column. The Babylonians even without Egyptian assistance defeated the Assyrians. Babylonian became the dominant power in western Asia and conquered both Israel and Judah. The Babylonians saw the Jews as hostile, in part because they had been hard fighting Assyrian allies. The Babylonians destroyed Solomon's Temple (the First Temple), They took many many Jews hostage, chosing the Jewish elite, both men and women, and their children. Deportations like this were common imperial practices by both the Asyrians and Baylonians. The Babylonians brought the Jewish hostages to Babylon itself where they could be better controlled. Jewish historians debate the number of Jews brought to Babylon and the nmber that remained at home. This period is often called the Babylonian Captivity. King Nebuchadnezzar oversaw these exiles. The Bible describes three waves of deportment. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel in the Bible (the book of Prophets) penned sad descriptions describing the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple. The Jews in Babylon managed to remain in contact with their kinsmen in Palestine [Ezekiel] The fact that it was the HJewish elite that was forced into captivity in Babylon is signifcant. The Jews were exposed to and influenced by Babylonian culture. There are important similarities betweem Babylonian and Jewish mythology, such as the Great Flood. The Basbylonian Captivity thus left a great mark on Judiaism. The Babylonians in turn were conquered by Persia.

Cyrus the Great

There was a Jewish community in central Asia, although the origins are poorly documented. The central Asian Jews may well pre-date European Jewery. The Jewish community of Uzbekistan may date from the destruction of the Temple and the Babylonian captivity. Or it may date from the Persian Empire that followed. Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to Palestine, but not all did. There were Jewish community within the Persian Empire. Laws about religion varied, but on the whole the Persians were tolerant toward conquered people as long as they accepted Persian authority. Of course Jews would only had to be concerned with the Persians, but with the laws and traditions of the principlities in which they lived, many of which were less tolerant than the Persians.

Persian Jews

Geograph almost certainly means that the history of Uzbek Jews is involved and related to that of with that of Persian Jews. Persian/Iran has one of the oldest Jewish communities outside Israel. Jews first appeared in Iran at the time of the destruction of the First Temple (6th century BC). The Jews had been conquered by the Babalonians and many were brought back to Babylon as slaves. Cyrus the Great who founded the Archemid dynasty, conquered Babylon (539 BC). Cyrus allowed the enslaved Jews to return to Israel. Not all the Jews returned. Scattered Jewish colonies were established in Babylon and various Persian provinces as well as Hamadan and Susa. The experiences of the Jews in Persia under the Achaemids are desctibed in the Bible (books of Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel). Jews in Persia tended to lived in their own communities. Persia was a huge multi-national empire. Thus Persian Jewish communities existed not only in modern Iran, but also what is now Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, northwestern India, Kirgizstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Jews during Sassanid dynasty prospered and spread throughout Persia, albeit they experienced some persecution (226-642 AD). Arab Muslims conquered Persia (642 AD). Persia became part of the Caliphate. Persia was an extremly backward state (19th century). Persian Jews were persecuted and suffered descrimination. Some Jewish communities were forced to convert to Islam. Some Jews as Zionism developed, emigrated to Palesine which at the time was an Ottoman province.

Bukhara

The best known and probably oldest Jewish community in Uzbekistan is that of Bukhara. Its origins are not documented, but it may be over 2,000 years old. Legends adscribe its origins to variously. Some say the Bukharian Jews were some of the Jews who failed to return from the Babylonian captivity (6th century BC). Another report suggests Jews fleeing from persecution in Persia about 1,500 years ago. Others suggest more recent origins, merchants on the Silk Road (7th century AD). The most notable aspect of the Bukharan and other Central Asian Jews is that they were separated from the Jewish world community for 1,000-2,000 years depending on just when the community was founded. Th Bukharan Jews are one of the oldest ethno-religious groups of Central Asia. As aresult they have developed their own distinct culture and religious traditions.

Social Life

Uzbek Jews were mostly city dwealers, mostly artisans and merchants, since laws prohibited land ownership. They came to speak a Jewish dialect of Tajik which with the exodus from the country in modern times is now dieing out.

Tumultuous History

Jews survived the various invasions that swept over the region (Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, the Sardians, the Qarakhanids, the Seljuks, the Persians, the Turks, and the Chinese).

Muslim Rule

The Jews of Central Asia were for the most part not vicuiously percecuted by the Muslims as was the case in European Christendom. Jews as people of the Book were tolerated to a degree. did suffer a wide range of discriminations and limitations. Muslim rule varied over time as did the severity of rules against non-Muslims. Jews were restrictedcto the Jewish quarter in cities, Jewish gates and shops had to be built at a lower level than those of Muslims. Jews had to wear distinctive garb such as a black cap and a cord belt. Jewish witnesses could not testify against Muslims in law court s.

The Mongols

Momgol invasions led by Genhis Kahn devestated Central Asia and the Middle East (13th century). The Mongols destroyed the Caliphatte which had already significantly declined. Under Tamerlane a rebuilding process began (14th century). Jewish weavers and dyers played a role in the rebuilding process and help to bring the famed Silk Road back to life. Tamerlane made Samarkand his capitol. Jewish merchants and artisans in nearby Bukharan benefitted greatly. The restrictive laws aimed at Jews were replealed.

Tsarist Era (1868-1917)

Tsarist armies moved into west and south Central Asia in what has been desvribed as the Great Game with the British who moved north from India. The Russian seized what is now Uzbekistan (1868). Tsarist officials in the late 19th century launched a vicious campaign of supression including murerous Pogroms against its European Jews. This drove large numbers of Jews to America and Germany. Ironically during this period of preporession, Jews in Central Asia were liberated from restrictive Muslim rule. Jews gained full legal equality with Muslims. They also enjoyed rights not accorded to Russia's European Jews. They were allowed to purchase land. The numbers of Jews were quite small compared to the millions of Jews in European Russia and Russian controlled Poland. Estimates suggests there were 50,000 Jews in Samarkand and 20,000 in Bukhara. Some of these Jews (Potelyahov, Davydov and Pinkhasov) became enormously wealthy and were involved primarily in the cotton and textile trade as well as investing in land and railroads. The famed Tsarist photographer Prokudin-Gorskii in 1911 captured a remarable image of a group of Jewish boys, in traditional dress, studying with their teacher (figure 1).

Soviet Era (1917-91)

With the victory of the Bolshevicks in the Civil War, Soviet power was eventually extebnded to Central Asia. This mdant the end of capitalism. It also meant the suppression of all religion, including Islam and Judaism. This campaign was persued with great severity during the Stalinist era. At the time of the Revolution, Samarkand had 30 synagogues, nut by 1935 only one was functioning. The Sovies did not like the NAZIs seek to wipe out Jews, but did attempt to destroy Judaism and other religions. Judaism continued under ground. The Soviet 1970 census reported 103,000 Jews in Uzbekistan. I am not sure just what this meant in terms of understanding or commitment to Judaism. Reports suggest thastreligious knowledge and observance varied widely. A new development during the Soviet era was the appearance of Ashkenazi Jews . The first Ashkenazi Jews that Stalin exiled to Central Asia. One estimaste suggests that more than 1 million Jews fleeing the NAZI Holocaust moved through Uzbekitan during World War II. Perhaps 0.2 million remained there after the War.

Modern Uzbekistan (1992- )

Uzbekistan became independent after the disolution of the Soviet Union (1991). It has a very authoritarian government. About 88 oercent of the coyntry's population of 25 million is Muslim. Most of the rest is Russians left from the Soviet era. The Government has been primarily concerned with Muslim Fundamentalism and minority groups have not been targeted. The country is one of the few Muslim countries with positive relations with Israel. The country has managed to avoid the violence that has rocked much of the Middle East, although there have been isolated attacks. Most Uzbeck Jews have decided to leave the country and the Government has not impeded that exodus. There were about 70,000 Jews in Uznbekistan when the country became independent. The Jewish Agency and other organizations have assisted the exodus. Only about 15,000 Jews remain in Uzbekistan today (mostly in Bukhara, Samarkand, and Tashkent). The reason appears to have been primarily economic. The economy has been poorly managed since independence and few foreign investors have shown an interest give the autoritative government and lack of any real legal system. Most Uzbek Jews have left for either America and Israel. The Jewish Agency, Chabad and the Joint Distribution Committee maintain some semblnce of Jewish like for those who remain. Jews since the 19th century Russian invasion learned to speak Russian for their education and and wotk lives. Many now speak it as their main language.






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Created: 3:33 AM 2/12/2007
Last updated: 3:34 AM 2/12/2007