Новости

History of museum

A few years ago, a group of Mountain-Jewish businessmen and community leaders led by God Nisanov, Zarah Iliev and the president of the Mountain Jews Fund “ STMEGI” - German Zakharyaev, decided to establish historical and ethnographic museum in the Red Village -suburb of Azerbaijani city Guba (a unique settlement, the only one in the former USSR, where the majority of the population are representatives of the Jewish ethnos). Initially, the museum was supposed to present artifacts collected from all over the Caucasus, including cult utensils, printed and manuscript documents, and other things demonstrating the Jewish life of this region.

Due to the wide emigration of Jews from Red Village and generally from all the Caucasus, many experts believe that the museum will become a kind of memorial to the disappearing community.

Exhibits for the museum gathered from the different part of Caucasus. The museum will demonstrate household items, such as, horse-drawn carriages of the 19th century, as well as various documents of a spiritual and secular nature.

A unique exhibit is the so-called “Chopped book” - a copy of the Torah, which took the blow of the blade of a Persian military leader. Thus, the book saved the life of the rabbi of the Red Village a few centuries ago.

Books in Juuri were also collected for the museum; a special place was assigned for dictionaries. The museum intends to create the world's largest library in this language, which should develope linguistic research on this unique dialect, which is spoken by no more than 100 thousand people around the world.

The founders of the museum hope that it will become not just a repository of artifacts, it is also will become important cultural and educational center


Director's Message

Dear friends!

Establishing the museum, we did a difficult job, but, thank God, we were constantly supported by caring people from among our community. First of all the main goal of founding of the museum is to tell the world the unique history of our people - from the Middle Ages to the present. Another and no less important goal, which we were guided by during establishing the museum: strengthening the tolerance in society and  raising of  young  generation,which will respect the traditions and culture of all nations.

Museum  of the 21st Century is not just a repository of artifacts, it is also an important cultural and educational center. This is a unique laboratory for moving in time and space. Only such a museum will be popular among visitors of all ages, and we will strive to ensure that our museum meets these principles!

Welcome to our museum!

Director: Igor Shaulov

Mission of Museum

The mission of the Museum of Mountain Jews is multifaceted and, first of all, is to acquaint everyone, who is interested in a unique mini-civilization that combines the achievements of Jewish culture and cultures of the peoples of the Caucasus. The museum aims to transmit universal human values, and thereby, we hope, will serve not only as a source of knowledge about the material and spiritual culture of Mountain Jews, but will also provide a space for interethnic and inter-religious dialogue. The doors of the museum will be open for everyone who is willing to share our values, regardless of nationality or religion.


Building of museum

Jewish museum

Map of museum

MapMap

Board of trustees

Nisanov God Semenovich
Vice president of the World Jewish Congress


Russian Entrepreneur

Iliyev Zarakh Binsionovich
Russian businessman and developer
Zakharyayev German Rashbilovich
President of International Charitable Foundation of Mountain Jews “STMEGI”

Vice president of the World Jewish Congress
Yusupov Vladislav Ilyushaevich
Azerbaijani businessman. Chief curator of the museum

Friends of Museum

  • Heydar Aliyev Foundation
    President of Foundation Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva
  • International Charitable Foundation “STMEGI”
    President of Foundation Mr. Zakharyayev German Rashbilovich
  • Community of Mountain Jews
    Head of Community – Mr. Nisanov God Semenovich
  • Community of Red Village

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