Bukharan Jews: Difference between revisions

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	==Name and language==		==Name and language==
	] in ], sketch based on a photograph by ].]]		] in ], sketch based on a photograph by ].]]
	The term ''~~Bukharan~~'' was coined by ]an travelers who visited Central Asia around the 16th century. Since most of the Jewish community at the time lived under the ], they came to be known as ''~~Bukharan~~'' Jews. The name by which the community called itself is "]" (Israelites).		The term ''Bukharian'' was coined by ]an travelers who visited Central Asia around the 16th century. Since most of the Jewish community at the time lived under the ], they came to be known as ''Bukharian'' Jews. The name by which the community called itself is "]" (Israelites).

	The appellative ''Bukharian'' was adopted by ~~Bukharan~~ Jews who moved to English-speaking countries, in an ] of the Hebrew ''Bukhari''. However, ''~~Bukharan~~'' was the term used historically by English writers, as it was for other aspects of ].		The appellative ''Bukharian'' was adopted by Bukharian Jews who moved to English-speaking countries, in an ] of the Hebrew ''Bukhari''. However, ''Bukharian'' was the term used historically by English writers, as it was for other aspects of ].

	~~Bukharan~~ Jews used the ] to communicate among themselves and later developed ], a distinct dialect of the ] with certain linguistic traces of ]. This language provided easier communication with their neighboring communities and was used for all cultural and educational life among the Jews. It was used widely until the area was "]" by the Russians and the dissemination of "religious" information was halted. The elderly ~~Bukharan~~ generation use Bukhori as their primary language but speak Russian with a slight ~~Bukharan~~ accent. The younger generation use ] as their primary language, but do understand or speak Bukhori.		Bukharian Jews used the ] to communicate among themselves and later developed ], a distinct dialect of the ] with certain linguistic traces of ]. This language provided easier communication with their neighboring communities and was used for all cultural and educational life among the Jews. It was used widely until the area was "]" by the Russians and the dissemination of "religious" information was halted. The elderly Bukharian generation use Bukhori as their primary language but speak Russian with a slight Bukharian accent. The younger generation use ] as their primary language, but do understand or speak Bukhori.

	The ~~Bukharan~~ Jews are ]<ref name="bjews.com" /> and have been introduced to and practice ].		The Bukharian Jews are ]<ref name="bjews.com" /> and have been introduced to and practice ].

	The first primary written account of Jews in ] dates to the beginning of the 4th century CE. It is recalled in the ] by Rabbi Shmuel bar Bisna, a member of the Talmudic academy in ], who traveled to Margiana (present-day ] in ]) and feared that the wine and alcohol produced by local Jews was not ].<ref>Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Aboda Zara, 31b, and Rashi</ref> The presence of Jewish communities in Merv is also proven by Jewish writings on ossuaries from the 5th and 6th centuries, uncovered between 1954 and 1956.<ref>Ochildiev, D; R. Pinkhasov, I. Kalontarov. ''A History and Culture of the Bukharian Jews'', Roshnoyi-Light, New York, 2007.</ref>		The first primary written account of Jews in ] dates to the beginning of the 4th century CE. It is recalled in the ] by Rabbi Shmuel bar Bisna, a member of the Talmudic academy in ], who traveled to Margiana (present-day ] in ]) and feared that the wine and alcohol produced by local Jews was not ].<ref>Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Aboda Zara, 31b, and Rashi</ref> The presence of Jewish communities in Merv is also proven by Jewish writings on ossuaries from the 5th and 6th centuries, uncovered between 1954 and 1956.<ref>Ochildiev, D; R. Pinkhasov, I. Kalontarov. ''A History and Culture of the Bukharian Jews'', Roshnoyi-Light, New York, 2007.</ref>
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	According to some ancient texts, there were Israelites that began traveling to Central Asia to work as traders during the reign of ] of Jerusalem as far back as the 10th century B.C.E.<ref name="Abazov2007">{{cite book\|last=Abazov\|first=Rafis\|title=Culture and Customs of the Central Asian Republics\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y3Sk7GeUe5oC&pg=PA75\|accessdate=30 June 2014\|year=2007\|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group\|isbn=9780313336560\|page=75}}</ref> When Persian King Cyrus conquered Babylon, he encouraged the Jews he liberated to settle in his empire, which included areas of Central Asia. In the Middle Ages, the largest Jewish settlement in Central Asia was in the Emirate of Bukhara.		According to some ancient texts, there were Israelites that began traveling to Central Asia to work as traders during the reign of ] of Jerusalem as far back as the 10th century B.C.E.<ref name="Abazov2007">{{cite book\|last=Abazov\|first=Rafis\|title=Culture and Customs of the Central Asian Republics\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y3Sk7GeUe5oC&pg=PA75\|accessdate=30 June 2014\|year=2007\|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group\|isbn=9780313336560\|page=75}}</ref> When Persian King Cyrus conquered Babylon, he encouraged the Jews he liberated to settle in his empire, which included areas of Central Asia. In the Middle Ages, the largest Jewish settlement in Central Asia was in the Emirate of Bukhara.

	Among ~~Bukharan~~ Jews, there are two ancient theories of how Jewish people settled in Central Asia. Many ~~Bukharan~~ Jews trace their ancestry to the ] and to the ] of the ]<ref>Ehrlich, M. Avrum. ''Encyclopedia of the Jewish Diaspora: Origins, Experiences, and Culture'' ABL-CIO, October 2008, ISBN 978-1-85109-873-6, p. 84.</ref> who may have been exiled during the ] in the 7th century BCE.<ref name="bukharacity.com">, Bukharacity.com. Retrieved December 13, 2009.</ref> Isakharov (in different spellings) is a common surname.<ref></ref>		Among Bukharian Jews, there are two ancient theories of how Jewish people settled in Central Asia. Many Bukharian Jews trace their ancestry to the ] and to the ] of the ]<ref>Ehrlich, M. Avrum. ''Encyclopedia of the Jewish Diaspora: Origins, Experiences, and Culture'' ABL-CIO, October 2008, ISBN 978-1-85109-873-6, p. 84.</ref> who may have been exiled during the ] in the 7th century BCE.<ref name="bukharacity.com">, Bukharacity.com. Retrieved December 13, 2009.</ref> Isakharov (in different spellings) is a common surname.<ref></ref>

	Modern sources have described the Bukhara Jews as, for example, "an ethnic and linguistic group in Central Asia, claiming descent from 5th-century exiles from Persia".<ref></ref>		Modern sources have described the Bukhara Jews as, for example, "an ethnic and linguistic group in Central Asia, claiming descent from 5th-century exiles from Persia".<ref></ref>

	The ~~Bukharan~~ Jews are considered one of the oldest ] groups of Central Asia and over the years they have developed their own distinct culture. Throughout the years, Jews from other Eastern countries such as ], ], ], ], and ] migrated into Central Asia (usually by taking the ]).{{citation needed\|date=September 2014}}		The Bukharian Jews are considered one of the oldest ] groups of Central Asia and over the years they have developed their own distinct culture. Throughout the years, Jews from other Eastern countries such as ], ], ], ], and ] migrated into Central Asia (usually by taking the ]).{{citation needed\|date=September 2014}}

	]		]
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	Around 1620, the first synagogue had been constructed at Bukhara city. This was done in contravention of the law of ] who forbade the construction of new synagogues as well as forbade the destruction of those that existed in the pre-Islamic period. There was a case when Caliph Umar had ordered the destruction of a mosque, which was built illegally on Jewish land.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://pagetour.narod.ru/bukhara/Magoki.htm \|title=Lyab-i Khauz ensemble, Magoki Attoron Mosque and the story of Synagogue in Bukhara \|publisher=Pagetour.narod.ru \|date= \|accessdate=2012-01-05}}</ref> Before the construction of the first synagogue, Jews had shared a place in a mosque with Muslims. This mosque was called the ] (the "Mosque in pit"). Some say that Jews and Muslims worshipped alongside each other in the same place at the same time. Other sources insist that Jews worshipped after Muslims.<ref>Mosque and the story of Synagogue in Bukhara. , '']''.</ref> The construction of the first Bukhara synagogue was credited to two people: Nodir Divan-Begi, an important grandee, and an anonymous widow, who reportedly outwitted an official.		Around 1620, the first synagogue had been constructed at Bukhara city. This was done in contravention of the law of ] who forbade the construction of new synagogues as well as forbade the destruction of those that existed in the pre-Islamic period. There was a case when Caliph Umar had ordered the destruction of a mosque, which was built illegally on Jewish land.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://pagetour.narod.ru/bukhara/Magoki.htm \|title=Lyab-i Khauz ensemble, Magoki Attoron Mosque and the story of Synagogue in Bukhara \|publisher=Pagetour.narod.ru \|date= \|accessdate=2012-01-05}}</ref> Before the construction of the first synagogue, Jews had shared a place in a mosque with Muslims. This mosque was called the ] (the "Mosque in pit"). Some say that Jews and Muslims worshipped alongside each other in the same place at the same time. Other sources insist that Jews worshipped after Muslims.<ref>Mosque and the story of Synagogue in Bukhara. , '']''.</ref> The construction of the first Bukhara synagogue was credited to two people: Nodir Divan-Begi, an important grandee, and an anonymous widow, who reportedly outwitted an official.

	During the 18th century, ~~Bukharan~~ Jews faced considerable discrimination and persecution. Jewish centers were closed down, the Muslims of the region usually forced conversion on the Jews, and the ~~Bukharan~~ Jewish population dramatically decreased to the point where they were almost extinct.<ref>, everyculture.com website. Retrieved December 13, 2009.</ref> Due to pressures to convert to ], persecution, and isolation from the rest of the Jewish world, the Jews of Bukhara began to lack knowledge and practice of their Jewish religion. By the middle of the 18th century, practically all ~~Bukharan~~ Jews lived in the ].		During the 18th century, Bukharian Jews faced considerable discrimination and persecution. Jewish centers were closed down, the Muslims of the region usually forced conversion on the Jews, and the Bukharian Jewish population dramatically decreased to the point where they were almost extinct.<ref>, everyculture.com website. Retrieved December 13, 2009.</ref> Due to pressures to convert to ], persecution, and isolation from the rest of the Jewish world, the Jews of Bukhara began to lack knowledge and practice of their Jewish religion. By the middle of the 18th century, practically all Bukharian Jews lived in the ].

	====Rabbi Yosef Maimon====		====Rabbi Yosef Maimon====
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	===Nineteenth century===		===Nineteenth century===
	In 1843 the ~~Bukharan~~ Jews were visited by the so-called "Eccentric Missionary", ], a ] who had set himself the broad task of finding the ] and the narrow one of seeking ] who had been captured by the Emir, ]. Wolff wrote prolifically of his travels, and the journals of his expeditions provide valuable information about the life and customs of the peoples he travelled amongst, including the ~~Bukharan~~ Jews. In 1843, for example, they collected 10,000 silver '']'' and purchased land in ], known as '']'', close to Registon.		In 1843 the Bukharian Jews were visited by the so-called "Eccentric Missionary", ], a ] who had set himself the broad task of finding the ] and the narrow one of seeking ] who had been captured by the Emir, ]. Wolff wrote prolifically of his travels, and the journals of his expeditions provide valuable information about the life and customs of the peoples he travelled amongst, including the Bukharian Jews. In 1843, for example, they collected 10,000 silver '']'' and purchased land in ], known as '']'', close to Registon.

	In the middle of the 19th century, ~~Bukharan~~ Jews began to move to the ]. The land on which they settled in ] was named the '']'' (Sh'hunat HaBucharim) and still exists today.		In the middle of the 19th century, Bukharian Jews began to move to the ]. The land on which they settled in ] was named the '']'' (Sh'hunat HaBucharim) and still exists today.

	In 1865, Russian troops took over ], and there was a large influx of Jews to the newly created ] Region. From 1876 to 1916, Jews were free to practice ]. Dozens of ~~Bukharan~~ Jews held prestigious jobs in medicine, law, and government, and many Jews prospered. Many ~~Bukharan~~ Jews became successful and well-respected actors, artists, dancers, musicians, singers, film producers, and sportsmen. Several ~~Bukharan~~ entertainers became artists of merit and gained the title "People's Artist of Uzbekistan," "People's Artist of Tajikistan," and even (in the Soviet era) "]." Jews succeeded in the world of sport also, with several ~~Bukharan~~ Jews in Uzbekistan becoming renowned boxers and winning many medals for the country.<ref>Pinkhasov, Peter. , Bukharian Jewish Global Portal website, p. 2. Retrieved December 13, 2009.</ref>		In 1865, Russian troops took over ], and there was a large influx of Jews to the newly created ] Region. From 1876 to 1916, Jews were free to practice ]. Dozens of Bukharian Jews held prestigious jobs in medicine, law, and government, and many Jews prospered. Many Bukharian Jews became successful and well-respected actors, artists, dancers, musicians, singers, film producers, and sportsmen. Several Bukharian entertainers became artists of merit and gained the title "People's Artist of Uzbekistan," "People's Artist of Tajikistan," and even (in the Soviet era) "]." Jews succeeded in the world of sport also, with several Bukharian Jews in Uzbekistan becoming renowned boxers and winning many medals for the country.<ref>Pinkhasov, Peter. , Bukharian Jewish Global Portal website, p. 2. Retrieved December 13, 2009.</ref>

	===Twentieth century===		===Twentieth century===
	], ca. 1910.]]		], ca. 1910.]]

	Prior to the establishment of the state of ], the ~~Bukharan~~ Jews were one of the most isolated Jewish communities in the world.<ref name=nyt>Moskin, Julia. '']'', January 18, 2006.</ref>		Prior to the establishment of the state of ], the Bukharian Jews were one of the most isolated Jewish communities in the world.<ref name=nyt>Moskin, Julia. '']'', January 18, 2006.</ref>

	With the establishment of ] rule over the territory in 1917, Jewish life seriously deteriorated.{{Citation needed\|date=November 2009}} Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, thousands of Jews, fleeing religious oppression, confiscation of property, arrests, and repressions, fled to Palestine.{{Citation needed\|date=November 2009}} In Central Asia, the community attempted to preserve their traditions while displaying loyalty to the government. ] and the ] brought a lot of ] ] from the European regions of the ] and ] through Uzbekistan. Starting in 1972, one of the largest ~~Bukharan~~ Jewish emigrations in history occurred as the Jews of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan immigrated to ] and the ], due to looser restrictions on immigration. In the late 1980s to the early 1990s, almost all of the remaining ~~Bukharan~~ Jews left Central Asia for the ], ], ], or ] in the last mass emigration of ~~Bukharan~~ Jews from their resident lands.		With the establishment of ] rule over the territory in 1917, Jewish life seriously deteriorated.{{Citation needed\|date=November 2009}} Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, thousands of Jews, fleeing religious oppression, confiscation of property, arrests, and repressions, fled to Palestine.{{Citation needed\|date=November 2009}} In Central Asia, the community attempted to preserve their traditions while displaying loyalty to the government. ] and the ] brought a lot of ] ] from the European regions of the ] and ] through Uzbekistan. Starting in 1972, one of the largest Bukharian Jewish emigrations in history occurred as the Jews of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan immigrated to ] and the ], due to looser restrictions on immigration. In the late 1980s to the early 1990s, almost all of the remaining Bukharian Jews left Central Asia for the ], ], ], or ] in the last mass emigration of Bukharian Jews from their resident lands.

	====After 1991====		====After 1991====
	With the disintegration of the ] and foundation of the independent Republic of ] in 1991, some feared growth of nationalistic policies in the country. The resurgence of ] in ] and ] prompted an increase in the level of emigration of Jews (both ~~Bukharan~~ and ]). Before the collapse of the USSR, there were 45,000 ~~Bukharan~~ Jews in Central Asia.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Cooper \|first=Alanna E. \|year=2003 \|chapter=Looking Out for One's Own Identity: Central Asian Jews in the Wake of Communism \|editor1-last=Kosmin \|editor1-first=Barry Alexander \|editor2-last=Kovács \|editor2-first=András \|title=New Jewish Identities: Contemporary Europe and Beyond \|location= \|publisher=Central European University Press \|isbn=963-9241-62-8 \|pages=189–210 \|chapterurl=https://books.google.com/books?id=USUKO5AJmBUC&pg=RA1-PA189#v=onepage&q&f=false }}</ref>		With the disintegration of the ] and foundation of the independent Republic of ] in 1991, some feared growth of nationalistic policies in the country. The resurgence of ] in ] and ] prompted an increase in the level of emigration of Jews (both Bukharian and ]). Before the collapse of the USSR, there were 45,000 Bukharian Jews in Central Asia.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Cooper \|first=Alanna E. \|year=2003 \|chapter=Looking Out for One's Own Identity: Central Asian Jews in the Wake of Communism \|editor1-last=Kosmin \|editor1-first=Barry Alexander \|editor2-last=Kovács \|editor2-first=András \|title=New Jewish Identities: Contemporary Europe and Beyond \|location= \|publisher=Central European University Press \|isbn=963-9241-62-8 \|pages=189–210 \|chapterurl=https://books.google.com/books?id=USUKO5AJmBUC&pg=RA1-PA189#v=onepage&q&f=false }}</ref>

	Today, there are about 150,000 ~~Bukharan~~ Jews in Israel (mainly in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area including the neighborhoods of ], Shapira, ], HaTikvah and cities like ], ], and ]) and 60,000 in the United States (especially ]—a borough of ] that is widely known as the "melting pot" of the United States due to its ethnic diversity)—with smaller communities in the USA like ], ], ], San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Denver. Only a few thousand still remain in ]. About 500 live in Canada (mainly Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec). Almost no ~~Bukharan~~ Jews remain in ] (compared to the 1989 Jewish population of 15,000 in Tajikistan).		Today, there are about 150,000 Bukharian Jews in Israel (mainly in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area including the neighborhoods of ], Shapira, ], HaTikvah and cities like ], ], and ]) and 60,000 in the United States (especially ]—a borough of ] that is widely known as the "melting pot" of the United States due to its ethnic diversity)—with smaller communities in the USA like ], ], ], San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Denver. Only a few thousand still remain in ]. About 500 live in Canada (mainly Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec). Almost no Bukharian Jews remain in ] (compared to the 1989 Jewish population of 15,000 in Tajikistan).

	==Immigrant populations==		==Immigrant populations==

	===Tajikistan===		===Tajikistan===
	In early 2006, the still-active ] in ] as well as the city's ] (ritual bath), ] butcher, and Jewish schools were demolished by the government (without compensation to the community) to make room for the new Palace of Nation. After an international outcry, the government of Tajikistan announced a reversal of its decision and publicly claimed that it would permit the synagogue to be rebuilt on its current site. However, in mid-2008, the government of Tajikistan destroyed the whole synagogue and started construction of the Palace of Nation. The Dushanbe synagogue was Tajkistan's only synagogue and the community were therefore left without a centre or a place to pray. As a result, the majority of ~~Bukharan~~ Jews from Tajikistan living in Israel and the United States have very negative views towards the Tajik government and many have cut off all ties they had with the country. In 2009, the Tajik government reestablished the synagogue in a different location for the small Jewish community.<ref>http://www.rferl.org/content/New_Synagogue_Opens_In_Dushanbe/1621721.html</ref>		In early 2006, the still-active ] in ] as well as the city's ] (ritual bath), ] butcher, and Jewish schools were demolished by the government (without compensation to the community) to make room for the new Palace of Nation. After an international outcry, the government of Tajikistan announced a reversal of its decision and publicly claimed that it would permit the synagogue to be rebuilt on its current site. However, in mid-2008, the government of Tajikistan destroyed the whole synagogue and started construction of the Palace of Nation. The Dushanbe synagogue was Tajkistan's only synagogue and the community were therefore left without a centre or a place to pray. As a result, the majority of Bukharian Jews from Tajikistan living in Israel and the United States have very negative views towards the Tajik government and many have cut off all ties they had with the country. In 2009, the Tajik government reestablished the synagogue in a different location for the small Jewish community.<ref>http://www.rferl.org/content/New_Synagogue_Opens_In_Dushanbe/1621721.html</ref>

	===United States===		===United States===
	Currently, ~~Bukharan~~ Jews are mostly concentrated in the U.S. in ], ], ], ], ], ], ].<ref name="bjews.com" /> ]'s 108th Street in the borough of Queens, is often referred to as "~~Bukharan~~ Broadway"<ref name=~~"Bukharan~~ ~~Broadway~~">"~~Bukharan~~ ~~Broadway":~~		Currently, Bukharian Jews are mostly concentrated in the U.S. in ], ], ], ], ], ], ].<ref name="bjews.com" /> ]'s 108th Street in the borough of Queens, is often referred to as "Bukharian Broadway"<ref name=nyt/> in ], is filled with Bukharian restaurants and gift shops. Furthermore, Forest Hills is nicknamed "Bukharlem" due to the majority of the population being Bukharian.<ref>{{Cite web
	* Foner, Nancy. ''New immigrants in New York", ''], 2001, ISBN 978-0-231-12415-7, p. 133. "Since the 1970s, more than 35,000 "Bukharan" émigrés have created a bustling community in Forest Hills, with restaurants, barbershops, food stores and synagogue that together have given 108th street the nickname 'Bukharan Broadway'".
	* Morel, Linda. , '']'' ('']''), September 20, 2002. "... 108th Street, recently dubbed 'Bukharan Broadway,'..."
	* Victor Wishna, {{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821050226/http://www.sdjewishjournal.com/stories/oct03_5.html \|date=August 21, 2008 }}, '']'', October 2003. "Leaving the bakery, we walk along what has been dubbed 'Bukharan Broadway,' where an abundance of restaurants and gift shops sit side by side."</ref> or "Bukharian Broadway"<ref name=nyt/> in ], is filled with Bukharan restaurants and gift shops. Furthermore, Forest Hills is nicknamed "Bukharlem" due to the majority of the population being Bukharian.<ref>{{Cite web
	\| url = http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/buharlem_or_bukharlem_bukhara_harlem		\| url = http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/buharlem_or_bukharlem_bukhara_harlem
	\| title = Buharlem or Bukharlem (Bukhara + Harlem)		\| title = Buharlem or Bukharlem (Bukhara + Harlem)
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	\| website = www.barrypopik.com		\| website = www.barrypopik.com
	\| access-date = 2017-01-29		\| access-date = 2017-01-29
	}}</ref> They have formed a tight-knit enclave in this area that was once primarily inhabited by ] (many of the Ashkenazi Jews have assimilated to wider American and American Jewish culture with each successive generation). ] in ], a synagogue founded in the early 1900s by Ashkenazi Jews, became ~~Bukharan~~ in the 1990s. ], also has a very large population of ~~Bukharan~~ Jews. Author ] has taken an interest in ~~Bukharan~~ Jews in the U.S., writing at length about ] and, in '']'', about the 2007 contract murder of ] organized by his ex-wife ].		}}</ref> They have formed a tight-knit enclave in this area that was once primarily inhabited by ] (many of the Ashkenazi Jews have assimilated to wider American and American Jewish culture with each successive generation). ] in ], a synagogue founded in the early 1900s by Ashkenazi Jews, became Bukharian in the 1990s. ], and Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, also has a very large population of Bukharian Jews. Author ] has taken an interest in Bukharian Jews in the U.S., writing at length about ] and, in '']'', about the 2007 contract murder of ] organized by his ex-wife ].

	In December 1999, the First Congress of the Bukharian Jews of the United States and Canada convened in Queens.{<ref>http://bucharianlife.blogspot.com/p/heritage.html</ref>} In 2007, ~~Bukharan~~-American Jews initiated lobbying efforts on behalf of their community.<ref name="thejewishweek.com">Ruby, Walter. {{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080221175639/http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c36_a738/News/New_York.html \|date=February 21, 2008 }}, '']'', October 31, 2007.</ref> Zoya Maksumova, president of the Bukharan women’s organization "Esther Hamalka" said "This event represents a huge leap forward for our community. Now, for the first time, Americans will know who we are."{{Citation needed\|date=December 2015}} Senator ] intoned, "God said to Abraham, 'You'll be an eternal people'… and now we see that the State of Israel lives, and this historic community, which was cut off from the Jewish world for centuries in Central Asia and suffered oppression during the Soviet Union, is alive and well in America. God has kept his promise to the Jewish people."<ref name="thejewishweek.com" />		In December 1999, the First Congress of the Bukharian Jews of the United States and Canada convened in Queens.{<ref>http://bucharianlife.blogspot.com/p/heritage.html</ref>} In 2007, Bukharian-American Jews initiated lobbying efforts on behalf of their community.<ref name="thejewishweek.com">Ruby, Walter. {{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080221175639/http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c36_a738/News/New_York.html \|date=February 21, 2008 }}, '']'', October 31, 2007.</ref> Zoya Maksumova, president of the Bukharan women’s organization "Esther Hamalka" said "This event represents a huge leap forward for our community. Now, for the first time, Americans will know who we are."{{Citation needed\|date=December 2015}} Senator ] intoned, "God said to Abraham, 'You'll be an eternal people'… and now we see that the State of Israel lives, and this historic community, which was cut off from the Jewish world for centuries in Central Asia and suffered oppression during the Soviet Union, is alive and well in America. God has kept his promise to the Jewish people."<ref name="thejewishweek.com" />

	==Culture==		==Culture==

	===Dress Codes===		===Dress Codes===
	~~Bukharan~~ Jews had their own ], similar to but also different from other cultures (mainly ]) living in Central Asia. On weddings today, one can still observe the bride and the close relatives donning the traditional ] (Jomah-ҷома-ג'אמה in Bukhori and Tajik) <ref>For examples see men and women coats as well as children's clothing from Bukhara, exhibition, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, March 11, 2014-October 18, 2014</ref>		Bukharian Jews had their own ], similar to but also different from other cultures (mainly ]) living in Central Asia. On weddings today, one can still observe the bride and the close relatives donning the traditional ] (Jomah-ҷома-ג'אמה in Bukhori and Tajik) <ref>For examples see men and women coats as well as children's clothing from Bukhara, exhibition, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, March 11, 2014-October 18, 2014</ref>

	===Music===		===Music===
	The ~~Bukharan~~ Jews have a distinct musical tradition called ], which is an ensemble of stringed instruments, infused with ] rhythms, and a considerable ] influence as well as Muslim melodies, and even ] ]. Shashmaqam music "reflect the mix of Hassidic vocals, Indian and Islamic instrumentals and Sufi-inspired texts and lyrical melodies."<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.thewanderingmuse.net/musicians/shashmaqam \|title=Shashmaqam \|publisher=The Wandering Muse \|date= \|accessdate=2012-01-05}}</ref>		The Bukharian Jews have a distinct musical tradition called ], which is an ensemble of stringed instruments, infused with ] rhythms, and a considerable ] influence as well as Muslim melodies, and even ] ]. Shashmaqam music "reflect the mix of Hassidic vocals, Indian and Islamic instrumentals and Sufi-inspired texts and lyrical melodies."<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.thewanderingmuse.net/musicians/shashmaqam \|title=Shashmaqam \|publisher=The Wandering Muse \|date= \|accessdate=2012-01-05}}</ref>

	===Cuisine===		===Cuisine===
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	] soup called ''shurboi dushpera'' or ''tushpera'' (left) along with traditional ] called '']'' in Bukharan, Tajik, and Uzbek (right).]]		] soup called ''shurboi dushpera'' or ''tushpera'' (left) along with traditional ] called '']'' in Bukharan, Tajik, and Uzbek (right).]]

	~~Bukharan~~ cuisine consists of many unique dishes, distinctly influenced by ethnic dishes historically and currently found along the ] and many parts of Central and even Southeast Asia. ], or ], as it is often referred to in Russian, are popular, made of ], ] or ]. Pulled noodles, often thrown into a hearty stew of meat and vegetables known as ''lagman'', are similar in style to Chinese ], also traditionally served in a meat broth. ''Sambusa'', pastries filled with spiced meat or vegetables, are baked in a unique, hollowed out ] oven, and greatly resemble the preparation and shape of Indian ]s.		Bukharian cuisine consists of many unique dishes, distinctly influenced by ethnic dishes historically and currently found along the ] and many parts of Central and even Southeast Asia. ], or ], as it is often referred to in Russian, are popular, made of ], ] or ]. Pulled noodles, often thrown into a hearty stew of meat and vegetables known as ''lagman'', are similar in style to Chinese ], also traditionally served in a meat broth. ''Sambusa'', pastries filled with spiced meat or vegetables, are baked in a unique, hollowed out ] oven, and greatly resemble the preparation and shape of Indian ]s.

	<blockquote>The Bukharians' Jewish identity was always preserved in the kitchen. "Even though we were in exile from Jerusalem, we observed kashruth," said Isak Masturov, another owner of Cheburechnaya. "We could not go to restaurants, so we had to learn to cook for our own community.<ref>NYT,1-18-2006 </ref></blockquote>		<blockquote>The Bukharians' Jewish identity was always preserved in the kitchen. "Even though we were in exile from Jerusalem, we observed kashruth," said Isak Masturov, another owner of Cheburechnaya. "We could not go to restaurants, so we had to learn to cook for our own community.<ref>NYT,1-18-2006 </ref></blockquote>

	] is a very popular slow-cooked ] dish spiced with ] and containing ]s, and in some varieties, ], and often topped with beef or lamb. Another popular dish is ''baksh'' which consists of rice, chicken breast and liver cut into small cubes, with ], which adds a shade of green to the rice once it's been cooked. Most ~~Bukharan~~ Jewish communities still produce their traditional breads including '']'' (''lepyoshka'' in Russian), a circular bread with a flat center that has multiple pattern of designs, topped with black and regular ]s, and the other, called ''non toki'', bears the dry and crusty features of traditional Jewish ], but with a distinctly wheatier taste.		] is a very popular slow-cooked ] dish spiced with ] and containing ]s, and in some varieties, ], and often topped with beef or lamb. Another popular dish is ''baksh'' which consists of rice, chicken breast and liver cut into small cubes, with ], which adds a shade of green to the rice once it's been cooked. Most Bukharian Jewish communities still produce their traditional breads including '']'' (''lepyoshka'' in Russian), a circular bread with a flat center that has multiple pattern of designs, topped with black and regular ]s, and the other, called ''non toki'', bears the dry and crusty features of traditional Jewish ], but with a distinctly wheatier taste.

	After Sabbath synagogue service, ~~Bukharin~~ Jews often eat steamed eggs and sweet potatoes followed by a dish of fish such as carp. Next comes the main meal called ''oshesvo''.		After Sabbath synagogue service, Bukharian Jews often eat steamed eggs and sweet potatoes followed by a dish of fish such as carp. Next comes the main meal called ''oshesvo''.

	==Notable Bukharian Jews==		==Notable Bukharian Jews==

Revision as of 20:01, 5 March 2017

Ethnic group

Bukharian Jews
Total population
approx. 180,000–250,000
Regions with significant populations
Israel	100,000-120,000
United States	70,000
European Union	5,000-10,000
Uzbekistan	1,500
Tajikistan	1,000-5,000
Canada	1,500
Russia	1000
Afghanistan	1
The Netherlands	8
Languages
Traditionally Bukhori (Judeo-Tajik), Tajik, Russian, Hebrew (Israel), English (USA, Canada, UK, and Australia), and German (Austria and Germany) spoken in addition and to a lesser extent, Uzbek for those who remain in Uzbekistan.
Religion
Judaism, Islam (see Chala), Agnosticism
Related ethnic groups
Other Jewish groups (Mizrahi, Sephardi, Ashkenazi, etc.) Tajiks

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Bukharian Jews or Bukhari Jews (Template:Lang-ru Bukharskie evrei ; Template:Lang-he Bukharim ; Tajik and Bukhori Cyrillic: яҳудиёни бухороӣ Yahudiyoni bukhoroī (Bukharian Jews) or яҳудиёни Бухоро Yahudiyoni Bukhoro (Jews of Bukhara), Bukhori Hebrew Script: יהודיי בוכאראי and יהודי בוכארי) are Jews from Central Asia who historically spoke Bukhori, a dialect of the Tajik-Persian language. Their name comes from the former Central Asian Emirate of Bukhara, which once had a sizable Jewish community. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the great majority have immigrated to Israel or to the United States (especially Forest Hills, New York), while others have immigrated to Europe or Australia.

Name and language

Interior of the Great Synagogue in Bukhara, sketch based on a photograph by Elkan Nathan Adler.

The term Bukharian was coined by European travelers who visited Central Asia around the 16th century. Since most of the Jewish community at the time lived under the Emirate of Bukhara, they came to be known as Bukharian Jews. The name by which the community called itself is "Isro'il" (Israelites).

The appellative Bukharian was adopted by Bukharian Jews who moved to English-speaking countries, in an anglicisation of the Hebrew Bukhari. However, Bukharian was the term used historically by English writers, as it was for other aspects of Bukhara.

Bukharian Jews used the Persian language to communicate among themselves and later developed Bukhori, a distinct dialect of the Tajiki-Persian language with certain linguistic traces of Hebrew. This language provided easier communication with their neighboring communities and was used for all cultural and educational life among the Jews. It was used widely until the area was "Russified" by the Russians and the dissemination of "religious" information was halted. The elderly Bukharian generation use Bukhori as their primary language but speak Russian with a slight Bukharian accent. The younger generation use Russian as their primary language, but do understand or speak Bukhori.

The Bukharian Jews are Mizrahi Jews and have been introduced to and practice Sephardic Judaism.

The first primary written account of Jews in Central Asia dates to the beginning of the 4th century CE. It is recalled in the Talmud by Rabbi Shmuel bar Bisna, a member of the Talmudic academy in Pumbeditha, who traveled to Margiana (present-day Merv in Turkmenistan) and feared that the wine and alcohol produced by local Jews was not kosher. The presence of Jewish communities in Merv is also proven by Jewish writings on ossuaries from the 5th and 6th centuries, uncovered between 1954 and 1956.

History

Further information: History of the Jews in Central Asia, History of the Jews under Muslim rule, and Soviet Jews

According to some ancient texts, there were Israelites that began traveling to Central Asia to work as traders during the reign of King David of Jerusalem as far back as the 10th century B.C.E. When Persian King Cyrus conquered Babylon, he encouraged the Jews he liberated to settle in his empire, which included areas of Central Asia. In the Middle Ages, the largest Jewish settlement in Central Asia was in the Emirate of Bukhara.

Among Bukharian Jews, there are two ancient theories of how Jewish people settled in Central Asia. Many Bukharian Jews trace their ancestry to the Tribe of Napthali and to the Tribe of Issachar of the Lost Tribes of Israel who may have been exiled during the Assyrian captivity of Israel in the 7th century BCE. Isakharov (in different spellings) is a common surname.

Modern sources have described the Bukhara Jews as, for example, "an ethnic and linguistic group in Central Asia, claiming descent from 5th-century exiles from Persia".

The Bukharian Jews are considered one of the oldest ethno-religious groups of Central Asia and over the years they have developed their own distinct culture. Throughout the years, Jews from other Eastern countries such as Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Syria, and Morocco migrated into Central Asia (usually by taking the Silk Road).

Sixteenth to eighteenth centuries

In the beginning of the 16th century, the area was invaded and occupied by nomadic Uzbek tribes who established strict observance of Islamic religion.

Around 1620, the first synagogue had been constructed at Bukhara city. This was done in contravention of the law of Caliph Omar who forbade the construction of new synagogues as well as forbade the destruction of those that existed in the pre-Islamic period. There was a case when Caliph Umar had ordered the destruction of a mosque, which was built illegally on Jewish land. Before the construction of the first synagogue, Jews had shared a place in a mosque with Muslims. This mosque was called the Magoki Attoron (the "Mosque in pit"). Some say that Jews and Muslims worshipped alongside each other in the same place at the same time. Other sources insist that Jews worshipped after Muslims. The construction of the first Bukhara synagogue was credited to two people: Nodir Divan-Begi, an important grandee, and an anonymous widow, who reportedly outwitted an official.

During the 18th century, Bukharian Jews faced considerable discrimination and persecution. Jewish centers were closed down, the Muslims of the region usually forced conversion on the Jews, and the Bukharian Jewish population dramatically decreased to the point where they were almost extinct. Due to pressures to convert to Islam, persecution, and isolation from the rest of the Jewish world, the Jews of Bukhara began to lack knowledge and practice of their Jewish religion. By the middle of the 18th century, practically all Bukharian Jews lived in the Bukharian Emirate.

Rabbi Yosef Maimon

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Bukharan Jews celebrating Sukkot, c. 1900.

In 1793, Rabbi Yosef Maimon, a Sephardic Jew from Tetuan, Morocco and prominent kabbalist in Safed, traveled to Bukhara and found the local Jews in a very bad state. He decided to settle there. Maimon was disappointed to see so many Jews lacking knowledge and observance of their religious customs and Jewish law. He became a spiritual leader, aiming to educate and revive the Jewish community's observance and faith in Judaism. He changed their Persian religious tradition to Sephardic Jewish tradition. Maimon is an ancestor of Shlomo Moussaieff, author Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, and the First Lady of Iceland Dorrit Moussaieff.

Nineteenth century

In 1843 the Bukharian Jews were visited by the so-called "Eccentric Missionary", Joseph Wolff, a Jewish convert to Christianity who had set himself the broad task of finding the Lost Tribes of Israel and the narrow one of seeking two British officers who had been captured by the Emir, Nasrullah Khan. Wolff wrote prolifically of his travels, and the journals of his expeditions provide valuable information about the life and customs of the peoples he travelled amongst, including the Bukharian Jews. In 1843, for example, they collected 10,000 silver tan'ga and purchased land in Samarkand, known as Makhallai Yakhudion, close to Registon.

In the middle of the 19th century, Bukharian Jews began to move to the Land of Israel. The land on which they settled in Jerusalem was named the Bukharan Quarter (Sh'hunat HaBucharim) and still exists today.

In 1865, Russian troops took over Tashkent, and there was a large influx of Jews to the newly created Turkestan Region. From 1876 to 1916, Jews were free to practice Judaism. Dozens of Bukharian Jews held prestigious jobs in medicine, law, and government, and many Jews prospered. Many Bukharian Jews became successful and well-respected actors, artists, dancers, musicians, singers, film producers, and sportsmen. Several Bukharian entertainers became artists of merit and gained the title "People's Artist of Uzbekistan," "People's Artist of Tajikistan," and even (in the Soviet era) "People's Artist of the Soviet Union." Jews succeeded in the world of sport also, with several Bukharian Jews in Uzbekistan becoming renowned boxers and winning many medals for the country.

Twentieth century

Prior to the establishment of the state of Israel, the Bukharian Jews were one of the most isolated Jewish communities in the world.

With the establishment of Soviet rule over the territory in 1917, Jewish life seriously deteriorated. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, thousands of Jews, fleeing religious oppression, confiscation of property, arrests, and repressions, fled to Palestine. In Central Asia, the community attempted to preserve their traditions while displaying loyalty to the government. World War II and the Holocaust brought a lot of Ashkenazi Jewish refugees from the European regions of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe through Uzbekistan. Starting in 1972, one of the largest Bukharian Jewish emigrations in history occurred as the Jews of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan immigrated to Israel and the United States, due to looser restrictions on immigration. In the late 1980s to the early 1990s, almost all of the remaining Bukharian Jews left Central Asia for the United States, Israel, Europe, or Australia in the last mass emigration of Bukharian Jews from their resident lands.

After 1991

With the disintegration of the Soviet Union and foundation of the independent Republic of Uzbekistan in 1991, some feared growth of nationalistic policies in the country. The resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan prompted an increase in the level of emigration of Jews (both Bukharian and Ashkenazi). Before the collapse of the USSR, there were 45,000 Bukharian Jews in Central Asia.

Today, there are about 150,000 Bukharian Jews in Israel (mainly in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area including the neighborhoods of Tel Kabir, Shapira, Kiryat Shalom, HaTikvah and cities like Or Yehuda, Ramla, and Holon) and 60,000 in the United States (especially Queens—a borough of New York that is widely known as the "melting pot" of the United States due to its ethnic diversity)—with smaller communities in the USA like Phoenix, South Florida, Atlanta, San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Denver. Only a few thousand still remain in Uzbekistan. About 500 live in Canada (mainly Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec). Almost no Bukharian Jews remain in Tajikistan (compared to the 1989 Jewish population of 15,000 in Tajikistan).

Immigrant populations

Tajikistan

In early 2006, the still-active Dushanbe Synagogue in Tajikistan as well as the city's mikveh (ritual bath), kosher butcher, and Jewish schools were demolished by the government (without compensation to the community) to make room for the new Palace of Nation. After an international outcry, the government of Tajikistan announced a reversal of its decision and publicly claimed that it would permit the synagogue to be rebuilt on its current site. However, in mid-2008, the government of Tajikistan destroyed the whole synagogue and started construction of the Palace of Nation. The Dushanbe synagogue was Tajkistan's only synagogue and the community were therefore left without a centre or a place to pray. As a result, the majority of Bukharian Jews from Tajikistan living in Israel and the United States have very negative views towards the Tajik government and many have cut off all ties they had with the country. In 2009, the Tajik government reestablished the synagogue in a different location for the small Jewish community.

United States

Currently, Bukharian Jews are mostly concentrated in the U.S. in New York, Arizona, Atlanta, Denver, South Florida, Los Angeles, San Diego. New York City's 108th Street in the borough of Queens, is often referred to as "Bukharian Broadway" in Forest Hills, Queens, is filled with Bukharian restaurants and gift shops. Furthermore, Forest Hills is nicknamed "Bukharlem" due to the majority of the population being Bukharian. They have formed a tight-knit enclave in this area that was once primarily inhabited by Ashkenazi Jews (many of the Ashkenazi Jews have assimilated to wider American and American Jewish culture with each successive generation). Congregation Tifereth Israel in Corona, Queens, a synagogue founded in the early 1900s by Ashkenazi Jews, became Bukharian in the 1990s. Kew Gardens, Queens, and Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, also has a very large population of Bukharian Jews. Author Janet Malcolm has taken an interest in Bukharian Jews in the U.S., writing at length about Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson and, in Iphigenia in Forest Hills: Anatomy of a Murder Trial, about the 2007 contract murder of Daniel Malakov organized by his ex-wife Mazoltuv Borukhova.

In December 1999, the First Congress of the Bukharian Jews of the United States and Canada convened in Queens.{} In 2007, Bukharian-American Jews initiated lobbying efforts on behalf of their community. Zoya Maksumova, president of the Bukharan women’s organization "Esther Hamalka" said "This event represents a huge leap forward for our community. Now, for the first time, Americans will know who we are." Senator Joseph Lieberman intoned, "God said to Abraham, 'You'll be an eternal people'… and now we see that the State of Israel lives, and this historic community, which was cut off from the Jewish world for centuries in Central Asia and suffered oppression during the Soviet Union, is alive and well in America. God has kept his promise to the Jewish people."

Culture

Dress Codes

Bukharian Jews had their own dress code, similar to but also different from other cultures (mainly Turco-Mongol) living in Central Asia. On weddings today, one can still observe the bride and the close relatives donning the traditional kaftan (Jomah-ҷома-ג'אמה in Bukhori and Tajik)

Music

The Bukharian Jews have a distinct musical tradition called Shashmaqam, which is an ensemble of stringed instruments, infused with Central Asian rhythms, and a considerable klezmer influence as well as Muslim melodies, and even Spanish chords. Shashmaqam music "reflect the mix of Hassidic vocals, Indian and Islamic instrumentals and Sufi-inspired texts and lyrical melodies."

Cuisine

Notable Bukharian Jews

Yisrael Aharoni – Israeli chef and restaurateur
Jacob Arabov – Proprietor of Jacob & Co.
Ari Babakhanov – Musician from Uzbekistan
Amnon Cohen – Israeli politician and member of the Knesset for Shas.
Rena Galibova – Soviet actress, "People's Artist of Tajikistan" (an awarded title, alluding to national prominence)
Meirkhaim Gavrielov – Journalist murdered in Tajikistan in 1998
Shimon Hakham – Bukharan-Israeli Rabbi/ Writer/ One of the founders of the Bukharan Quarter
Robert Ilatov – Israeli politician and member of the Knesset for Yisrael Beiteinu
Barno Itzhakova – vocalist, famous for her rendition of traditional Shashmaqom songs in Tajik and Uzbek
Lev Leviev – Billionaire businessman, investor, philanthropist, president of the World Congress of Bukharian Jews
Boris Kandov – President of the Bukharian Jewish Congress of the USA and Canada
Malika Kalontarova – Dancer, "People's Artist of Soviet Union" (Queen of Eastern Dance)
Fatima Kuinova – Soviet singer, "Merited Artist of the Soviet Union"
Yosef Maimon – Religious leader
Ilyas Malayev – Musician and Poet from Uzbekistan, "Honoured Artist of Uzbekistan"
Dorrit Moussaieff – First Lady of Iceland
Guy Haimov – professional football player
Manashe Khaimov - fourth generation community leader and founder of www.AskBobo.org, the only Bukharian online dictionary.
Moshe Mishaelof – professional football player
Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson – Author
Shlomo Moussaieff (businessman) – Israeli millionaire businessman
Shlomo Moussaieff (rabbi) – Co-founder of the Bukharan Quarter in Jerusalem
Shoista Mullodzhanova – Shashmakon singer, "People's Artist of Tajikistan" (Queen of Shashmakom music)
Gavriel Mullokandov – Popular Shashmakom artist, "People's Artist of Uzbekistan"
Jacob Nasirov – Bukharan-American Rabbi from Afghanistan (member of the Bukharian Rabbinical Counsel)
Gideon Sa'ar - Israeli politician who served as a member of Knesset for Likud
Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich – Israeli politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Kadima
Anthony Yadgaroff – British Businessman, Jewish community leader
Idan Yaniv – Israeli singer, "2007 Israeli Artist of the Year"
Suleiman Yudakov – Soviet composer and musician, "People's Artist of the Uzbek SSR"

References

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/06/14/1140379.aspx
^ Goodman, Peter. "Bukharian Jews find homes on Long Island", Newsday, September 2004.
Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Aboda Zara, 31b, and Rashi
Ochildiev, D; R. Pinkhasov, I. Kalontarov. A History and Culture of the Bukharian Jews, Roshnoyi-Light, New York, 2007.
Abazov, Rafis (2007). Culture and Customs of the Central Asian Republics. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 75. ISBN 9780313336560. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
Ehrlich, M. Avrum. Encyclopedia of the Jewish Diaspora: Origins, Experiences, and Culture ABL-CIO, October 2008, ISBN 978-1-85109-873-6, p. 84.
"The history of Bukharan Jews", Bukharacity.com. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
forebears.co.uk
"Wandering Jew: Bukhara, the ancient silk way city", by Tanya Powell-Jones, Jerusalem Post, 1/13/2013
"Lyab-i Khauz ensemble, Magoki Attoron Mosque and the story of Synagogue in Bukhara". Pagetour.narod.ru. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
Mosque and the story of Synagogue in Bukhara. "Bukharan Jews", Magoki Attoron.
"Bukharan Jews – History and Cultural Relations", everyculture.com website. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
Pinkhasov, Peter. "The History of Bukharian Jews", Bukharian Jewish Global Portal website, p. 2. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
^ Moskin, Julia. "The Silk Road Leads to Queens" The New York Times, January 18, 2006.
Cooper, Alanna E. (2003). "Looking Out for One's Own Identity: Central Asian Jews in the Wake of Communism". In Kosmin, Barry Alexander; Kovács, András (eds.). New Jewish Identities: Contemporary Europe and Beyond. Central European University Press. pp. 189–210. ISBN 963-9241-62-8. {{cite book}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
http://www.rferl.org/content/New_Synagogue_Opens_In_Dushanbe/1621721.html
Popik, Barry. "Buharlem or Bukharlem (Bukhara + Harlem)". www.barrypopik.com. Retrieved 2017-01-29.
http://bucharianlife.blogspot.com/p/heritage.html
^ Ruby, Walter."The Bukharian Lobby" Archived February 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, The Jewish Week, October 31, 2007.
For examples see men and women coats as well as children's clothing from Bukhara, exhibition, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, March 11, 2014-October 18, 2014
"Shashmaqam". The Wandering Muse. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
NYT,1-18-2006 The Silk Road Leads to Queens

Ricardo Garcia-Carcel: La Inquisición, Biblioteca El Sol. Biblioteca Básica de Historia. Grupo Anaya, Madrid, Spain 1990. ISBN 84-7969-011-9.

External links

Joseph Mammon. My Story
Official World Wide Bukharian Community Website
BJews.com, Bukharian Jewish Global Portal
Cooper, Alanna E. Bukharan Jews and the Dynamics of Global Judaism. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2012.
"Alanna's Cooper's publications on Bukharan Jews", kikayon.com
Elena Neva, "Heavenly Frogs in the Art of Bukharian Jewelers", Kunstpedia, March 19, 2009.
"Bukharian Jews protect their culture in a N.Y. enclave", Haaretz (Reuters), October 21, 2009.
LAZGI Firuza Jumaniyazova shimon polatov israel 2011 on YouTube
AVRAM TOLMAS, RUSTAM, YASHA BARAEV on YouTube
Malika Kalantarova - Lazgi.avi on YouTube
Lazgi Malika Kalontarova Dushanbe Малика Калонтарова Лазги Душанбе on YouTube
BukharianRadio.com, Bukharian Radio

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