I invite you on a virtual journey to a land of incredible contrasts. For over 2,000 years, Azerbaijan has been a home to our people.
It is a place of fascinating contradictions: here, Jews preserved ancient biblical traditions, while at the same time adopted the customs, music, and flavors of their Muslim neighbors.

In my new two-part series, we will explore this unique cultural tapestry.
We will visit the "Red Village" of Quba — the only entirely Jewish settlement outside of Israel. We will see there how two centuries of parallel history shaped two very different communities: the local Mountain Jews and the Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe.
We will end our journey in modern Baku, a capital of a country that today stands as one of Israel's most reliable strategic partners, a predominantly Muslim city with rich and vibrant Jewish life.

Part 1: The Mountain Jews & The "Red Village"

We begin our adventure by traveling back in time to meet the Mountain Jews. For over 2,000 years, this community lived in remote mountain villages, preserving traditions that feel like they are straight from the Bible.
We will visit the extraordinary "Red Village" of Quba — the last remaining all-Jewish settlement.
Together, we’ll discover their unique language, beautiful costumes, unusual traditions and the story of how they survived the dark days of WWII.

Part 2: The Ashkenazi Pioneers & The Spirit of Baku

In the second part, we move to the grand, sun-drenched capital of Baku.
Here, we find a completely different world: the Ashkenazi Jews who arrived during the great oil boom.
We will talk about the Jewish "Oil Barons" who helped build this magnificent city and the vibrant cultural life they created.
Finally, we will look at modern Azerbaijan - a strategic and faithful partner of Israel - and see why so many Jewish families still proudly call this Muslim-majority land their home.