Synagogue of the Ashkenazi Jews in Baku is a

synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...

Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...

. It is located in the center of the city.

History

In 1946, a building of former depot of the civil defense on the corner of Korganov (now

Rasul Rza Rasul Rza (real name Rasul Ibrahim oghlu Rzayev – az, Rəsul İbrahim oğlu Rzayev) (1910 – 1981 in Baku), was an Azerbaijani writer, Hero of Socialist Labour (1980), People's Poet of Azerbaijan, Laureate of Soviet State Award and the Chair ...

) and Pervomayskaya (now

Dilara Aliyeva Dilyara Alakbar qizi Aliyeva ( az, Dilarə Əliyeva) (14 December 1929 – 19 April 1991), Ph.D., was an Azerbaijani philologist, translator and Women's rights activist and Member of Supreme Council of Azerbaijan from 1990–1991. Family Dilyara ...

) Streets in a semi-basement place was allocated for the present synagogue. The building was repaired and re-equipped for needs of communities together with a community of

Georgian Jews Georgian Jews ( ka, ქართველი ებრაელები, tr) are a community of Jews who migrated to Georgia during the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century BCE.The Wellspring of Georgian Historiography: The Early Medieva ...

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...

. Two praying halls were built there: a big one for the

Ashkenazi Jews Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...

and a small one for

. Means were collected in the result of voluntary donations donated by

Azerbaijani Jews The history of the Jews in Azerbaijan dates back many centuries. Today, Jews in Azerbaijan mainly consist of three distinct groups: Mountain Jews, the most sizable and most ancient group; Ashkenazi Jews, who settled in the area during the late ...

. In 2002, it was decided to build a new building for the synagogue. Opening of the new synagogue was held on March 9, 2003. At present, Rabbi Shneor Segal, leader of

Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States The Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States is a union of rabbis residing in Muslim countries, established in December 2019 to support Jewish life in the region. Its activity is approved by Chief Rabbi of Israel Grand Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef and foll ...

is the

Chief Rabbi Chief Rabbi ( he, רב ראשי ''Rav Rashi'') is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities. Since 1911, through a ...

of the synagogue and the Ashkenazi community.

References

1946 establishments in Azerbaijan Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Asia Synagogues completed in 1946 Synagogues completed in 2003 Ashkenazi synagogues Religious buildings and structures in Azerbaijan Synagogues in Asia Synagogues in Azerbaijan Buildings and structures in Baku Culture in Baku Tourist attractions in Azerbaijan {{azerbaijan-synagogue-stub