Mountain Jews
Encyclopedia
Highland Jews, Mountain Jews or Kavkazi Jews also known as Juvuro or Juhuro, are Jews of the eastern Caucasus
, mainly of Azerbaijan
and Dagestan
. They are also known as Caucasus Jews, Caucasian Jews, or less commonly East Caucasian Jews, because the majority of these Jews settled the eastern part of the Caucasus. There were some historical settlements in Northwest Caucasus. Despite their name, the "Highland Jews" or "Mountain Jews" or "Caucasian Jews" do not include the Georgian Jews
of the Caucasus Mountains
.
In terms of ethnic origin, the Highland Jews and Tats
are believed to have inhabited Caucasia
for many centuries. Their distant forefathers once lived in southwest Persia, the southwestern part of present-day Iran
. There they adopted the Middle Persian language. The predecessors of the Highland Jews settled in Caucasian Albania
in the 5th–6th century; from then their history has been related to the mountains and the people of Dagestan.
"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 (also known as Krasnaya Sloboda in Russian
) 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."
"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."
for centuries. Their distant forefathers once lived in southwest Persia, the south-western part of present-day Iran
. There they adopted the Middle Persian
language. The predecessors of the Mountain Jews settled in Caucasian Albania
in the 5th–6th century; since then their history has been related to the mountains and the people of Azerbaijan and Dagestan. Some historians believe they may be descended from Jewish military colonists, settled by Parthia
n and Sassanid rulers in the Caucasus as frontier guards against nomadic incursions from the Pontic steppe.
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). 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). 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. The original Highland Jews of Chechnya now speak mostly Chechen.
Historians such as Andrey Zelev, Leonti Mroveli and Rusland Khasbulatov believe that the Jews also influenced Chechen culture. Many common Chechen family names, usually attributed to Arabic origin due to their Semitic
roots, have been shown to have existed before the Islamization of Chechnya. According to Zelev, many Chechen place names show Jewish influence. The historians Mroveli and Khasbulatov, who states that Chechen are 30% Jewish in ancestry, also support the idea of Jewish influence. Their theories are controversial, and have not achieved widespread acceptance.
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 vineyard
s were especially notable. The Jews and their Christian
Armenia
n 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.
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 quba
i culture.
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
, mainly of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
and Dagestan
Dagestan
The Republic of Dagestan is a federal subject of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. Its capital and the largest city is Makhachkala, located at the center of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea...
. They are also known as Caucasus Jews, Caucasian Jews, or less commonly East Caucasian Jews, because the majority of these Jews settled the eastern part of the Caucasus. There were some historical settlements in Northwest Caucasus. Despite their name, the "Highland Jews" or "Mountain Jews" or "Caucasian Jews" do not include the Georgian Jews
Georgian Jews
The Georgian Jews are from the nation of Georgia, in the Caucasus...
of the Caucasus Mountains
Caucasus Mountains
The Caucasus Mountains is a mountain system in Eurasia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the Caucasus region .The Caucasus Mountains includes:* the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and* the Lesser Caucasus Mountains....
.
In terms of ethnic origin, the Highland Jews and Tats
Tats
Tats are an Iranian people, presently living within Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia ....
are believed to have inhabited Caucasia
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
for many centuries. Their distant forefathers once lived in southwest Persia, the southwestern part of present-day Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. There they adopted the Middle Persian language. The predecessors of the Highland Jews settled in Caucasian Albania
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
in the 5th–6th century; from then their history has been related to the mountains and the people of Dagestan.
"After fleeing persecution in Persia, they migrated north to mountain villages on both sides of the high peaks between the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
and the Caspian
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
. They still speak a dialect of Persian; few know more than the odd Hebrew phrase. For centuries Qırmızı Qəsəbə (also known as Krasnaya Sloboda in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
) in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, 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."
"The number of Juhuri in the Caucasus regions outside Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
is also declining rapidly. In neighbouring Russia, thousands of Mountain Jews have emigrated from Dagestan because of their perception of threat from Islamic fundamentalism
Islamic fundamentalism
Islamic fundamentalism is a term used to describe religious ideologies seen as advocating a return to the "fundamentals" of Islam: the Quran and the Sunnah. Definitions of the term vary. According to Christine L...
and other violence. In April 2003, vandals desecrated 42 Jewish graves in the region."
Ethnic origins and history
In terms of ethnic origin, Jews have inhabited CaucasiaCaucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
for centuries. Their distant forefathers once lived in southwest Persia, the south-western part of present-day Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. There they adopted the Middle Persian
Middle Persian
Middle Persian , indigenously known as "Pârsig" sometimes referred to as Pahlavi or Pehlevi, is the Middle Iranian language/ethnolect of Southwestern Iran that during Sassanid times became a prestige dialect and so came to be spoken in other regions as well. Middle Persian is classified as a...
language. The predecessors of the Mountain Jews settled in Caucasian Albania
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
in the 5th–6th century; since then their history has been related to the mountains and the people of Azerbaijan and Dagestan. Some historians believe they may be descended from Jewish military colonists, settled by Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
n and Sassanid rulers in the Caucasus as frontier guards against nomadic incursions from the Pontic steppe.
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). 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). 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. The original Highland Jews of Chechnya now speak mostly Chechen.
Historians such as Andrey Zelev, Leonti Mroveli and Rusland Khasbulatov believe that the Jews also influenced Chechen culture. Many common Chechen family names, usually attributed to Arabic origin due to their Semitic
Semitic
In linguistics and ethnology, Semitic was first used to refer to a language family of largely Middle Eastern origin, now called the Semitic languages...
roots, have been shown to have existed before the Islamization of Chechnya. According to Zelev, many Chechen place names show Jewish influence. The historians Mroveli and Khasbulatov, who states that Chechen are 30% Jewish in ancestry, also support the idea of Jewish influence. Their theories are controversial, and have not achieved widespread acceptance.
Jewish diaspora
The Jewish diaspora is the English term used to describe the Galut גלות , or 'exile', of the Jews from the region of the Kingdom of Judah and Roman Iudaea and later emigration from wider Eretz Israel....
, Jews were prohibited from owning land (cf. the Jews of Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
), 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
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
-growing, but they also raised silkworms and cultivated tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
. The Jewish vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s were especially notable. The Jews and their Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n neighbors were the main producers of wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, 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
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during 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.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
authorities bound the Highland Jews to collective farms, but allowed them to continue their traditional cultivation of grapes, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, 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.
Originally, only boys were educated and they attended synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
schools. With Sovietization
Sovietization
Sovietization is term that may be used with two distinct meanings:*the adoption of a political system based on the model of soviets .*the adoption of a way of life and mentality modelled after the Soviet Union....
, Tat became the language of instruction at newly-founded elementary schools. This policy continued until the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1928, the first native-language newspaper, Zakhmetkesh (Working People), was published. After WWII, Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
was the required language at quba
Quba
Quba is a rayon in northeastern Azerbaijan. The capital is located on the Kudyal River at 41.37°N, 48.50°E....
schools, and the newspaper stopped publication. Highland Jewish intellectuals are active in quba
Quba
Quba is a rayon in northeastern Azerbaijan. The capital is located on the Kudyal River at 41.37°N, 48.50°E....
i culture.
Notable Highland Jews
- Yekutiel ("Kuti") AdamYekutiel AdamYekutiel "Kuti" Adam was an Israeli general and former Deputy Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces....
- Major General in the Israel Defense ForcesIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
, the highest-ranking Israeli soldier to be killed in combat. - Aluf Ehud "Udi" AdamUdi AdamAluf Ehud "Udi" Adam was a General in the Israel Defense Forces and the former head of the Israeli Northern Command. Adam has received a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Bar Ilan University and later studied at the School for War Studies in Paris, where he received a M.A. in Strategic Studies...
- General in the IDF and the former head of the Israeli Northern CommandIsraeli Northern CommandThe Israeli Northern Command is the Israel Defense Forces regional command responsible for the northern front with Syria and Lebanon.-History:...
. - Yehezqel Nissanov - One of the founders of the organizations Bar-GioraBar-GioraBar-Giora was a Jewish self-defense organization of the Second Aliyah, the precursor of Hashomer.- History :On September 28, 1907, a group of Poalei Zion members gathered at Yitzhak Ben-Zvi's unfurnished apartment in Jaffa apartment formed Bar-Giora, a Jewish self-defense organization named for...
(1907) and HashomerHashomerHashomer was a Jewish defense organization in Palestine founded out of Bar-Giora in April 1909. It ceased to operate after the founding of the Haganah in 1920. The purpose of Hashomer was to provide guard services for Jewish settlements in the Yishuv, freeing Jewish communities from dependence...
(1909) ניסנוב - Albert AgarunovAlbert AgarunovAlbert Agarunovich Agarunov was a Starshina of the Azerbaijani Army who died during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. He was among the last Azerbaijanis to defend Shusha, which was seized by Armenian forces on May 9, 1992.-Life:...
- A StarshinaStarshinaStarshina, or Starshyna , initially was a Cossacks officership, but in Soviet times was used as the top non-commissioned officer.Among Cossacks and in Ukraine, starshina was a collective noun for categories of officership or a military elite: junior starshina , general starshina , military...
of the Azerbaijani Army who died during the Nagorno-Karabakh War. - Abramov Shatiel Semenovich - Hero of the Soviet UnionHero of the Soviet UnionThe title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
- Yefrem Amiramov - Russian poet and musician. (Амирамов, Ефрем Григорьевич).
- Ismakov, George Shahmanovich - Composer, poet, "Honored Artist of Dagestan."
- AstrixAstrixAstrix is a Psychedelic trance DJ and producer specialising in the sub-genre of Full On Psychedelic Trance....
- Israeli Psychedelic TrancePsychedelic trancePsychedelic trance, psytrance or just psy is a form of electronic music characterized by hypnotic arrangements of synthetic rhythms and complex layered melodies created by high tempo riffs. It appeared in the mainstream in 1995 as with reporting of the trend of Goa trance. The genre offers variety...
DJ (real name Avi Shmailov). - Jacob AvshalomovJacob AvshalomovJacob Avshalomov is a Jewish American composer and conductor.-Early life and education:Jacob Avshalomov was born on March 28, 1919 in Tsingtao, China. His father was Aaron Avshalomov, the Siberian-born composer known for "oriental musical materials cast in western forms and media"; his mother was...
- Composer and conductor. - Sarit HadadSarit HadadSarit Hadad is an acclaimed Israeli singer. She stems from a musician family with both origins in the Tunisia and Caucases...
- Israeli singer, born "Sara Hudadatov." - Julieta (singer) - Israeli pop singer.
- Omer AdamOmer AdamOmer Adam is an Israeli singer. His music fuses elements of eastern "Mizrahi" and western pop instrumentation...
- Israeli singer specializing mainly in Oriental Middle Eastern and Mizrahi music. - Maya SimantovMaya SimantovDance-R&B singer-songwriter Maya Simantov , also known as Maya, was born and raised in Israel to a Jewish family. Maya's debut dance album First Time received acknowledgment as one of Israel's all-time best dance albums and was released internationally by Star69 Records.In 2005 Maya recorded...
- Dance-R&B singer. - Jasmin (singer)Jasmin (singer)Jasmin Jasmin Jasmin (real name: Sara Lvovna Shor (née Manakhimova) - Russian singer, actress, model. Honored Artist of the Republic of Dagestan.- Early life :...
- Russian pop singer.
- Ayan Babakishiyeva - Azerbaijan pop singer (real name Ayan Babakishiyeva, Айан Бабакишиева).
- Yaffa Yarkoni - Israeli singer, born as Yaffa Abramov, winner of the "Israel PrizeIsrael PrizeThe Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
" in 1998. - Gavril Ilizarov - Soviet physician, orthopedic surgeon, and inventor of the Ilizarov apparatusIlizarov apparatusThe Ilizarov apparatus is named after the orthopedic surgeon Gavriil Abramovich Ilizarov from the Soviet Union, who pioneered the technique. It is used in surgical procedures to lengthen or reshape limb bones; to treat complex and/or open bone fractures; and in cases of infected non-unions of bones...
. - Lior Rafaelov - Israeli football player.
- Zarah Iliev - Russian billionaire
- Telman IsmailovTelman IsmailovTelman Ismailov is a Russian entrepreneur and businessman of Azerbaijani Mountain Jew descent. He is chairman of the Russian AST Group of companies, which is active in many countries.-Early life:...
- Moscow owner of AST group. - Mirza KhazarMirza KhazarMirza Kerim oglu Mikayilov , known as Mirza Khazar , is an eminent Azerbaijani author, political analyst, legendary anchorman, radio journalist, publisher, and translator. Mirza Khazar is a Mountain Jew...
(Mirzə Xəzər) - Azerbaijani journalist, author, and anchorman of Radio Liberty (Azadliq) - God Nisanov - Russian businessman, general director of Biskvit.
- Yan Abramov - Russian businessman, husband to pop artist AlsouAlsou- Early life :Alsou was born in Bugulma, Tatarstan. Her father, Ralif Rafilovich Safin is a Russian oligarch, a former LUKoil executive and a current member of the Federal Council, the upper chamber of the Russian parliament. He is also the owner of the FC Zhemchuzhina-Sochi football team and was...
. - Matvey Elizarov - Azerbaijani businessman and philanthropist, a Vice-President of the World Congress of Mountain Jews.
- Zaur Gilalov - Azerbaijani founder of the Zar Group and former head of the World Congress of Mountain Jews.
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 Highland 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