Shul Destruction
Neweurasia hasn’t covered it yet, but a major piece of news coming out of Tajikistan lately is the government’s decision to demolish the the country’s only synagogue to make way for a presidential palace. Pleas from the international Jewish community have still met no success in changing the government’s mind.
Democracy in Central Asia and Registan (plus a discussion) have the full scoop.
on March 2nd, 2006 at 9:32 pm
I lived in Tajikistan most of my life but did not know the difference bw Tajiks and Jews (since they speak Tajik) until I was told they were Jews. Neither was I aware they had a synagogue although I lived in Dushanbe (althought with my lack of interest towards religion as a whole, it is not a surprise).
Tajik government clearly is not doing a right thing, but you should take into account the fact that it would probably destroy a mosque or a church if it needed the land. The point I am making is that the actions of the Tajik government aren’t necessarily anti-semitic.
It is quite interesting how articles say that the synagogue belongs to Jewish community in Uzbekistan. Legally, the land is owned by the government before and after the collapse of Soviet Union.
The other thing I can’t get my head around is why this 1-year-old story is being revisited now? UNESCO started sending letters to Tajik government in 2004. I can’t believe people waited for a year (until the building is almost destroyed) to tell the story.
on March 3rd, 2006 at 10:16 am
I suspect it’s going to be spun that way, all the same. The Tajik-speaking Jews of Bukhara seem to have all left, and gone to New York and Israel–has the same been true in Tajikistan?
on March 3rd, 2006 at 3:42 pm
Yes, most of Jews, Germans and Russians have left the country long ago. Tajik media goes to Israel though to take interviews from former famous Tajik artists and singers (who knew they were Jews?). I remember a woman famous Tajik folk song singer cried when she heard Tajiks were asking for an interview. She was in a home away from home….
on March 3rd, 2006 at 4:55 pm
Aidan,
Checked your site for Jews of Bukhara. Their native language is Tajik as evidenced from one of their Bukharian Jew language posts. Their names are Tajik too. This explains why I could not understand how they were a different nation.
on March 7th, 2006 at 9:38 pm
Hi, I made a Wikipedia page on the Synagogue history and demoliton that might be of interest. The URL is above.
I am interested in the names of former Tajik artists and singers. Could you mention some of them?
on March 7th, 2006 at 11:18 pm
I believe Shoista Mulojonova (famous folk singer) and Malika Kalandarova (famous dancer) are among the artists. There were more, but I was too young to remember the names.
on April 9th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Hi dear janem may i request you something please can you tell me how can i contact with monisha dawlat (Tajik’s Singer ) please tell me if know something. I don’t know how to contact her because i live faraway i live in Australia.
Thanks alot from Habib