Azerbaijan

Overview

There are an estimated 16,000 Jews in Azerbaijan, comprising less than 1% of the population. The Jewish community of Azerbaijan was spared the worst aspects of communist oppression when the country was part of the former Soviet Union.

Azerbaijan’s constitution protects freedom of religion, and the Jewish community has good relations with both the government and the Muslim majority. Azerbaijan has two distinct Jewish communities – the Mountain Jews, who have called the region home for 2,000 years, and an Ashkenazi population that came largely from Russia.

Azerbaijan has a number of natural resources, including oil, but despite the economic strides it has recently made, years of conflict with Armenia have taken their toll and there is a great deal of rebuilding needed. The war with Armenia during the 1990s resulted in the death of 30,000 people and the displacement of 1 million more. As a result, Azerbaijan is home to 800,000 refugees and IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons), the largest IDP population in the region.

Need

When the Soviet Union collapsed, thousands of Jews left Azerbaijan and made aliyah to Israel. The remaining Jewish population is comprised largely of Mountain Jews. This community and its local economy have suffered as a result of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Many aging Jews are unable to make ends meet on their small pensions, putting their health and well-being at risk. Necessities such as food, clothing, health care, and housing are increasingly becoming unmet needs for this vulnerable population.

While the Jews in Azerbaijan fared relatively better than Jews elsewhere in the Soviet Union during the communist era, Jewish institutions were still banned, creating a need to rebuild Jewish communal programs and provide training and guidance to this small community.

Response

JDC has supported Azeri Jews’ efforts to create a vibrant Jewish community through the Jewish Home in Baku. It houses a Hesed welfare center, a Jewish Community Center, and a Hillel center where Jewish students can explore and celebrate their Jewish identity. JDC’s efforts include:

• Food packages and food cards for basic nutrition
• Winter relief, such as warm clothing and blankets as well as help with heating and utility bills

Impact

JDC has been in Azerbaijan less than two decades, yet its work with the community is deep and its commitment is strong. The Jewish Home in Baku, which opened in 2004, already serves more than 1,600 people – 10% of the country’s Jewish population. Some recent numbers include:

• More than 1,200 elderly clients use their food cards to purchase food in local supermarkets and 790 clients receive food packages
• Home care services are provided to more than 120 homebound clients
• More than 700 clients receive winter relief assistance annually
• 945 children at risk receive social welfare services through the International Fellowship for Christians and Jews (IFCJ)-JDC Partnership for Children in the Former Soviet Union

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