Mountain Jews

Mountain Jews
Juhuro

Total population
2004: 150,000 to 270,000 (estimated) 1959: 25,000 (estimated) 1926: 26,000 (estimated)
Regions with significant populations
Azerbaijan, Chechnya, Dagestan, Israel, United States, Russia
Israel 100,000 to 140,000  United States 10,000 to 40,000  Russia 20,000 to 40,000  Azerbaijan 12,000 to 30,000 (according to Highland Jews community in Baku)  European Union 3,000 to 10,000  Kazakhstan[citation needed] 2,000
Languages
Juhuri, Hebrew, Russian, Azeri
Religion
Judaism
Related ethnic groups
Persian Jews, Other Jewish groups, Tats

Highland Jews, Mountain Jews or Kavkazi Jews also known as Juvuro or Juhuro, are Jews of the eastern Caucasus, mainly of Dagestan and Azerbaijan. They are also less commonly known as Caucasus Jews, or East Caucasian Jews, because the majority of these Jews settled the eastern part of the Caucasus.

The Mountain Jewish community originally came from Ancient Persia, from 5th century AD onwards, and their language, Juhuri, a relation of the Tat language, is an Ancient Southwest Iranian language, which integrates many elements of Ancient Hebrew.^[1] It is believed that they had arrived in Persia, from Ancient Israel, as early as the 8th century BCE. The Mountain Jews survived numerous historical vicissitudes by settling in extremely remote and mountainous areas, and they were accomplished at fighting from horseback.^[2]

Despite their name, the "Mountain Jews" or "Caucasian Jews" do not include the Georgian Jews of the Caucasus Mountains. The Mountain Jews are culturally and ethnically distinct from the Georgian Jews, with a different language, and many differences of custom and culture.^[3]

History

Jewish cemetery in Nalchik, 1993

The Mountain Jews are believed to have inhabited Caucasia since the 5th century AD. They arrived from southwest Persia, the southwestern part of present-day Iran. The language of the Mountain Jews, Juhuri, is an Ancient Southwest Iranian language, which integrates many elements of Ancient Hebrew.^[1] It is believed that they had arrived in Persia, from Ancient Israel, as early as the 8th century BCE.^[2]

"After fleeing persecution in Persia, they migrated north to mountain villages on both sides of the high peaks between the Black Sea and the Caspian. They still speak a dialect of Persian; few know more than the odd Hebrew phrase. For centuries Qırmızı Qəsəbə (formerly in Russian: Krasnaya Sloboda, English: Red Town) in Azerbaijan, perhaps the only completely Jewish settlement outside Israel, kept its traditions intact while surrounded by Muslims. In 1991 the fall of the Soviet Union and resulting unrest prompted a mass Jewish exodus. In recent years, the population has plummeted as inhabitants emigrate to Israel, America and Europe. It is the last stronghold of the Caucasus Mountain Jews, or Juhuri."^[4]

"The number of Juhuri in the Caucasus regions outside Azerbaijan is also declining rapidly. In neighbouring Russia, thousands of Mountain Jews have emigrated from Dagestan because of their perception of threat from Islamic fundamentalism and other violence. In April 2003, vandals desecrated 42 Jewish graves in the region."^[4]

The Mountain Jews maintained a strong military tradition. Some historians^[who?] believe they may be descended from Jewish military colonists, settled by Parthian and Sassanid rulers in the Caucasus as frontier guards against nomadic incursions from the Pontic steppe.

Mountain Jewish woman, painted by Max Tilke in the early 20th century.

In the 18th–19th century, the Jews resettled from the highland to the coastal lowlands but carried the name "Highland Jews" or "Mountain Jews" with them. In the villages (aouls) the Highland/Mountain Jews settled in a part of their own; in towns they did the same, although their dwellings did not differ from those of their neighbours. The Highland Jews adopted the dress of the highlanders. Judaic prohibitions ensured they retained specific dishes, and they enshrined their faith in the rules for family life.

In Chechnya, the Jews became notably well-integrated into Chechen society. A clan, Dzugtoi, was formed for Chechen Jews long ago, perhaps during the Middle Ages. In Chechen culture, there is an assembly of clans (taips). Of the total 90, 20 were originally founded by foreigners (a new taip can be founded at any time as long as there is a considerable founding group).^[5] In founding the new taip, its members pledged eternal loyalty to the Chechen nation, and hence became part of the nation, being simultaneously Chechens and Jews (there are also Polish, Russian, Armenian, Georgian, Turkish and other clans).^[5][6] Over time they become more and more integrated, due both to assimilation and to the Chechen populace becoming used to their presence. Interclan marriages were common, so eventually the Chechen Jews became largely indistinguishable from other Chechen, except for their faith.^[5][6] The original Highland Jews of Chechnya now speak mostly Chechen.^[7]

Economy

While elsewhere in the Jewish diaspora, Jews were prohibited from owning land (cf. the Jews of Central Asia), at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the Highland Jews owned land and were farmers and gardeners, growing mainly grain. Their oldest occupation was rice-growing, but they also raised silkworms and cultivated tobacco. The Jewish vineyards were especially notable. The Jews and their Christian Armenian neighbors were the main producers of wine, an activity prohibited for Muslims by their religion. Judaism, in turn, limited some types of meat consumption. Unlike their neighbors, the Jews raised few domestic animals. At the same time, they were renowned tanners. Tanning was their third most important economic activity after farming and gardening. At the end of the 19th century, 6% of Jews were engaged in this trade. Handicrafts and commerce were mostly practiced by Jews in towns.

The Soviet authorities bound the Highland Jews to collective farms, but allowed them to continue their traditional cultivation of grapes, tobacco, and vegetables; and making wine. The former isolated lifestyle of the Jews has practically ended, and they live side by side with other ethnic groups.

Religious and educational institutions

Originally, only boys were educated and they attended synagogue schools. With Sovietization, Tat became the language of instruction at newly-founded elementary schools. This policy continued until the beginning of World War II. In 1928, the first native-language newspaper, Zakhmetkesh (Working People), was published. After WWII, Russian was the required language at quba schools, and the newspaper stopped publication. Highland Jewish intellectuals are active in qubai culture.^{[citation needed]}

Notable Mountain Jews

Sarit Hadad

• Albert Agarunov - A Starshina of the Azerbaijani Army who died during the Nagorno-Karabakh War.
• Astrix - Israeli Psychedelic Trance DJ (real name Avi Shmailov).^[8]
• Gavril Ilizarov - Soviet physician, orthopedic surgeon, and inventor of the Ilizarov apparatus.^{[citation needed]}
• God Nisanov - Russian businessman, general director of Biskvit.^[9]
• Israel Iosifovich Tsvaygenbaum – Contemporary Russian-American artist.
• Jacob Avshalomov - Composer and conductor.
• Lior Rafaelov - Israeli football player.
• Maya Simantov - Dance-R&B singer.
• Mirza Khazar (Mirzə Xəzər) - Azerbaijani journalist, author, and anchorman of Radio Liberty (Azadliq)^[10]
• Mushailov, Mushael Hanuhovich - a painter, a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR and Israel.
• Omer Adam - Israeli singer specializing mainly in Oriental Middle Eastern and Mizrahi music.
• Sarit Hadad - Israeli singer, born "Sara Hudadatov."
• Shatiel Semenovich Abramov - Hero of the Soviet Union^[11]
• Telman Ismailov - Moscow owner of AST group.
• Aluf Ehud "Udi" Adam - General in the IDF and the former head of the Israeli Northern Command.^{[citation needed]}
• Yaffa Yarkoni - Israeli singer, winner of the "Israel Prize" in 1998.
• Yagutil Israelovich Mishiev – Distinguished Teacher of the Republic of Dagestan and the Russian Federation, writer, author of books about the history of Derbent, Dagestan, Russia.
• Yekutiel ("Kuti") Adam - Major General in the Israel Defense Forces, the highest-ranking Israeli soldier to be killed in combat.
• Zarah Iliev - Russian billionaire^[12]

References

External links

• query.nytimes.com, New York Times
• juhuro.com, website created by Vadim Alhasov in 2001. Daily updates reflect the life of Mountain Jewish (juhuro) community around the globe.
• newfront.us, New Frontier is a monthly Mountain Jewish newspaper, founded in 2003. International circulation via its web site. «Новый Рубеж» является ежемесячной газетой Горско-Еврейской общины США. Она издается с мая месяца 2003 года. Отражая жизнь общины не только в пределах своей страны, она информирует о новостях и событиях происходящих в Горско-Еврейских общинах во всем мире.
• keshev-k.com, Israeli website of Highland Jews.
• gorskie.ru, Highland Jews, website in Russian language.
• "Judæo-Tat", Ethnologue
• YouTube video Aji tu yorma, aji