Qırmızı Qəsəbə

Qırmızı Qəsəbə
Municipality

Seal
Qırmızı Qəsəbə
Coordinates: 41°22′25″N 48°30′38″E / 41.37361°N 48.51056°E / 41.37361; 48.51056Coordinates: 41°22′25″N 48°30′38″E / 41.37361°N 48.51056°E / 41.37361; 48.51056
Country  Azerbaijan
Rayon Quba
Population [1]
 • Total 3,557
Time zone AZT (UTC+4)

Qırmızı Qəsəbə (trans: Gyrmyzy Gasaba, Russian: Красная Слобода, Krasnaya Sloboda, English: Red Town) is a village and municipality in Quba District of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 3,598 and is believed to be the world's only all-Jewish town outside Israel.[2]

The village is located across the Qudiyalçay River (or Kudyal River) from the larger town of Quba. It is the primary settlement of Azerbaijan's population of Mountain Jews,[3] who make up the population of approximately 4,000. The most widely spoken language in Qırmızı Qəsəbə is Juhuri. Qırmızı Qəsəbə is considered to be the world's last surviving shtetl.[4][5]

History

Inside a renovated "Giləki" (Hilaki) Synagogue [6]

While the Highland Jews had been in the area around Quba since at least the 13th century, the formal creation of Krasnaya Sloboda is traced back to the 18th century, when in 1742 the khan of Quba, Fatali Khan, gave the Jews permission to set up a community free of persecution across the river from the city of Quba.[7] Originally referred to as Yevreiskaya Sloboda (Jewish Settlement), the name was changed to Krasnaya Sloboda (Red Settlement) under Soviet rule. Among Russian Jews, the town once was known as "little Jerusalem".[8]

The town has had an influx of financial support from relatives living in Israel and features the new Bet Knesset Synagogue.[9] However, after Azerbaijan's independence in 1991, many residents emigrated to Israel, the United States, and Europe, and the population dropped from the roughly 18,000 that lived there during the era of Communism.[10]

Two synagogues exist in Qırmızı Qəsəbə: "Altı günbəz" (Grand) synagogue which was built in 1888 and renovated in 2000,[11] and "Giləki" (Hilaki) synagogue which was built in 1896 and renovated recently.[12]

Notable people

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ PopulationData.net: Azerbaïdjan
  2. ↑ "It's an all-Jewish town, but no, it's not in Israel". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  3. ↑ Minahan, James B. (2014). Ethnic Groups of North, East, and Central Asia: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 124. ISBN 1610690184.
  4. ↑ "Eating with the Mountain Jews of Azerbaijan". Food52. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  5. ↑ "Jewish shtetl in Azerbaijan survives amid Muslim majority". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  6. ↑ "Qırmızı qəsəbə "Giləki" sinaqoqu". scwra.gov.az. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  7. ↑ "Jerusalem of the Caucasus". Visions of Azerbaijan Magazine. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  8. ↑ "Jewish shtetl in Azerbaijan survives amid Muslim majority". The Times of Israel.
  9. ↑ "It's an all-Jewish town, but no, it's not in Israel". www.thejc.com.
  10. ↑ "JOURNEY INTO THE UNREAL". www.shalom-magazine.com. SHALOM.
  11. ↑ "Qırmızı qəsəbə "Altı günbəz" sinaqoqu". scwra.gov.az. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  12. ↑ "Qırmızı qəsəbə "Giləki" sinaqoqu". scwra.gov.az. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  13. ↑ "God Nisanov WJC Vice-President". World Jewish Congress. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  14. ↑ "German Zakharyaev: “I overcome obstacles and sadness in life over praying to God"". Jewish Business News. 24 December 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2017.

Sources

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