Bukharan Jews

Book Aryan Jews living in the former Soviet republics of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek see Jews ), Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, sporadic in Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan ( lived in Afghanistan in late January 2005, only one single Jew: Zebulon Simentov ). After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many emigrated to Israel and the United States. They speak Judeo - Tajik or Buchori, a Persian dialect which is written with Hebrew letters. Book Aryan Jews belong to the group of Mizrahi.

Designation

Since most people living in Central Asia in the 16th century Jews were concentrated in the Emirate of Bukhara, they were described by European travelers as " Bukharan ". This name was retained by the later emigrants abroad. The name suggests erroneously all emigrated Bukharan Jews were from the Uzbek city of Bukhara or province.

History

After the Babylonian exile, some Jews emigrated to Persia, and then came to Central Asia, where they lived together for many centuries peacefully with the indigenous population. Later, the area of ​​Uzbek nomads was made uncertain and some Jews converted to Islam. 1793 made ​​the Moroccan Jew Joseph ben Moses al - Maghribi Mamon an exploration trip to the Bukharan Jews in Uzbekistan, where for a Sephardic customs and traditions. At the end of the 19th century Uzbekistan was conquered by Russia. Consequently, also migrated Ashkenazi Jews from Western Russia to Central Asia, whose ancestors came from Germany. During the Soviet era the Jews were required to speak Russian, so that many unlearned their native language or Yiddish.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, the majority of Bukharan Jews emigrated to Israel and the United States. Today, few Jews in the independent states of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan live, although in Uzbekistan have yet to find something more Jewish traces. Much of the Ashkenazim emigrated to the homeland of their ancestors Germany, while the Bukharan Jews emigrated either in the United States, Israel or Austria.

Living in Austria exclusively in Vienna Bukharan Jews are 1,171 persons (500 families), the largest group of about 6,900 members of the Jewish Community Vienna. In Vienna, 85% of the Bukharan Jews are under the age of 50 years.

Currently ( 2009), enter it in Germany around 800 Bukharian Jews in Dusseldorf, Hannover, Leipzig and Trier. The largest community of about 340 people is in Hanover.

Known Bukharian Jews

• Lew Awnerowitsch Lewiew ( born 1956 ), Israeli billionaire, owner of the company, diamond merchant and benefactor.