Azerbaijan’s Jews:
Stories and Legacy

10,650,200

country population

7,000

Jewish population

1916

JDC entry date

Though off-the-beaten-path for many Jewish visitors, Azerbaijan has long been a dynamic crossroads for Jews around the world — and today, JDC is proud to help the country’s Jews write a new chapter in their storied history.

It’s commonly believed that Jews first arrived in what is now Azerbaijan in the 5th century BCE. More than 2,500 years later, JDC is proud to partner with Azerbaijan’s Jews, supporting their most vulnerable community members and helping them build a brighter future.

Though victims of religious persecution in the 18th and 19th centuries, Azerbaijan’s Jews were spared the pogroms that devastated many Eastern European Jewish communities in the early 1900s. Jewish life flourished well into the 20th century, until 1920, when the Soviet Union took control of the country, and Jewish schools were shuttered and restrictions placed on religious life.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, these restrictions were lifted, and Jewish life began to thrive once more, with JDC’s support. Jewish schools reopened and people of all generations rediscovered their traditions through Shabbat celebrations, Jewish holidays, and more. But this monumental change was bittersweet, too — the country’s economy was left in ruins, and many Jews lost their savings overnight.

JDC stepped in, providing humanitarian aid to Azerbaijan’s Jews, as well as spiritual support for a community long unable to embrace its Jewishness. More than three decades later, JDC is proud to continue this work, partnering with local organizations to provide life-saving services to Jewish families and the elderly, educational programs for children and youth, and young leadership initiatives that strengthen the future of Jewish Azerbaijan.

Cultivating a Jewish Future

Hesed Gershon, as well as the JDC-supported Day Center, are hubs of Jewish life for elderly people in Azerbaijan. Boasting a wide array of exciting programs, Hesed Gershon provides Jewish seniors a place to gather and experience Jewish activities, including weekly Torah study, Hebrew classes, Jewish cooking classes, seminars on Jewish history and traditions, and much more.

For young children, Hesed Gershon’s Mazal Tov program provides Jewish preschool, where they learn all about holidays and traditions, as well as participate in a weekly Shabbat program. During the summer, Hesed Gershon hosts family camps, where children and their parents can learn about Jewish traditions in a friendly atmosphere while forging bonds with other Jewish families. JDC also partners with Hillel in Baku, which organizes exciting activities for young people to rediscover their Jewish heritage.

Caring for the Vulnerable

The collapse of the Soviet Union had a profound effect on Azerbaijan’s Jews — and more than three decades later, many Jews still struggle to survive.

Thankfully, the JDC-supported Hesed Gershon social welfare center in Baku provides life-saving support for Jews of all generations. More than 500 Jews depend on Hesed Gershon for critical humanitarian services, like food, medicine, and winter survival assistance. Through homecare, social clubs, and holiday celebrations, Hesed Gershon also helps relieve the loneliness of isolated elderly Jews, allowing them to participate in Jewish life.

Additionally, nearly 100 impoverished families rely on Hesed Gershon for their physical and emotional needs. Jews of all ages can speak to a team of expert psychologists, as well as participate in art therapy classes. This includes the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) program, which provides a sense of community for at-risk youth and teens, engaging them in activities, including outings, games, as well as regular meetings between kids and young adults who help them with school homework and acquaint them with Jewish values and traditions. Hesed Gershon’s team provides medical care to all service receivers, including check-ups, examinations, and support for children and elderly clients.

The work of JDC and Hesed Gershon extends far beyond Baku to far-flung towns like Quba, Gyanga, Oguz, Sumgait, and Privolnoye. JDC and Hesed Gershon are the only source of vital support for Jews in these places.