Tajikistan Update from the ISLC

March 3, 2006

On February 22, 2006 upon learning about the destruction of the only active synagogue in the city of Dushanbe, Tajikistan, the International Sephardic Leadership Council (ISLC) met with the Chief Rabbi of the Bukharian community and his council in New York to discuss the situation. The rabbi had already been in contact with the Tajikistan Foreign Minister, and he briefed us on the situation.

Days later, we realized that the Jewish community was totally silent. We initiated a campaign asking fellow Jewish organizations why they were quiet, asking: "Where is the outrage?" A massive email, fax and telephone campaign was launched, which resulted in the Jewish media focusing on the situation. Of course the coverage of this important tragic event was not at the level where it should have been, but at least many more people now were alerted to the situation. The media blitz resulted in both political and social groups, synagogues and individuals, calling on the Israeli government to take action. From Puerto Rico to Los Angeles and London to Australia, individuals and organizations sent correspondence to their government representatives about the destruction of the synagogue.

Speaking on behalf of the Association of Jewish Academics from Iraq, Israel Prize laureate Dr. Shmuel Moreh wrote to the ISLC agreeing that the Israeli government needs to focus on the Tajikistan situation, that the last remaining Jews need to be brought to Israel.

The editor of the Jerusalem Post issued a powerful statement:

As the government of Tajikistan was busy demolishing the only synagogue in Dushanbe, UNESCO, the international body designated with preventing such atrocities, told this newspaper that it would make another appeal in the near future…Judging by its actions, the Tajikistan government does not fully understand what UNESCO wrote in its protest on this matter in 2004: destroying the synagogue would be "in contradiction with international standards for the protection of cultural heritage." The World Jewish Congress also wrote at that time, stating that this act "will effectively put an end to Jewish life in Tajikistan and will strike a severe blow to the cause of Muslim-Jewish mutual respect and coexistence."

Jerusalem Post continued:

A government that can afford a lavish presidential palace, with flowing gardens, should be able to preserve or, at worst, sensibly relocate a historic landmark so that the Jewish community in the city is not harmed…The government of Israel should protest directly to Tajikistan and request that the synagogue be protected, not destroyed. Our UN ambassador and foreign minister should approach UNESCO and urge that organization to take this case more seriously than sending one letter and doing nothing when there was no response.

While most media sources were quick to downplay the anti-Semitic issue, The Forward newspaper said the community in Tajikistan was scared to speak out against the local administration destroying their synagogue because of the Muslim dominated governement. It is plausible that these fears are genuine, as there has been a history of crime against the Jews in Tajikistan and surrounding countries.

While Tajikistan is 85% Sunni Muslim, the country of Uzbekistan--which it borders--is 97% Sunni Muslim. In the capital city of Tashkant, Uzbekistan, the head of the Jewish community was murdered last week under suspicious circumstances. Several years ago, his brother was kidnapped; he was never seen again.

In 1995, the Dushanbe synagogue in Tajikistan and several Jewish homes were broken into and ransacked. From this event, fear caused many Jews to emigrate. About 10,000 Tajik Jews have fled to Israel since 1989. In 1992, there was a little-known but successful airlift operation to bring Jews out of Tajikistan and into Israel. In August 2005 the Israeli Consul to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, Anatoliy Livshits visited the community about potentially emigrating to Israel, this is something the ISLC strongly supports.

An op/ed issued by Shelomo Alfassa of the ISLC, was first picked up by Israel Insider Magazine, then the Los Angeles Jewish Observer, Jewsweek and The Jewish Voice. It stated in part:

The destruction of the Tajikistan synagogue is the most disgraceful act committed by a sovereign state toward its Jewish population since the end of WWII. The Soviet Union and its successor states may have oppressed and harassed their Jewish communities, but even at the height of Stalin's anti-Semitic purges they did not seek to wipe every element of Jewish existence like the Tajikistan government.

Mr. Philip Carmel, International Relations Director of the Conference of European Rabbis contacted the International Sephardic leadership Council:

I met today with the Tajik ambassador to the European Union in Brussels and expressed our deep concern for the terrible destruction of the synagogue in Dushanbe. Similarly, I have been in contact with the Uzbekhi ambassador here and we have demanded that the authorities in Tashkent conduct a proper investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the leader of the Bukharian community…The ambassador further told me that the community have been offered by the city a synagogue in another part of town although when I asked him where this was to be located (some three miles from the Jewish community) I clearly understand why this is regarded as an unacceptable solution.

The Conference of European Rabbis (TCER) invited the ISLC to meet with them, and TCER stated they would keep the ISLC updated to the situation.

The Jerusalem Post had it right when they mentioned that the end is coming. The destruction of the synagogue in Tajikistan will be the death blow for Judaism as it has been in that land for centuries. And while the American Jewish Congress issued a short statement in regard to the matter, no other national American Jewish organization spoke up. They remained silent, and we have no idea why. Here, again, we have a tremendously powerful Jewish voice in the United States, looking the other way as Jewry across the Atlantic is in trouble. Out of sight, out of mind?