Moses Becker authored first monograph in the history of Jews in Azerbaijan

"Jews in ethnic mosaic of Azerbaijan" is a title of the future monograph to be published in Baku by a leading reasearch fellow of the Institute of Law and Human Rights of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, doctor of philosophy on political sciences, Moses Becker. A former head of the European Jewish community, historian Becker completes subediting the first volume of his monograph.

It should be added that the research work has been carried out in archives of Azerbaijan. Exposing the history of Jewish migration to historical Azerbaijan since the creation of the Achaemenid Empire by Great Cyrus, the work reveals reasons of historical migration of the Jewish population from Sasanide Iran to the region, emergence of Jewish settlements in Oghuz, Mudji-Gavtaran, Podgornaya (Jewish) (now Krasnaya sloboda in Guba region of Azerbaijan) and other regions of the country. The monograph informs about a religious life of Jewish communities, local self-government, dynamics of the number and occupation of the population. The latest research on genetics of Mountain Jews is offered for the first time.

In an interview to Turan M.Becker told about Minister of Public Health of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, Evsey Gyndes (1918-1920), children"s doctor who initiated free polyclinics for ordinary people in Baku and founded a currently operating Institute of Mother and Baby. Note that Gyndes made a great contribution to eliminating typhus epidemic, creating anti-infant mortality and homelessness institutions, etc.

The PRA period was marked by vigorous activity of Zionist movement and various pro-Zionist parties that led to broad propaganda work, dispatch of chalutzim and serious material support of settlement activities in Eretz-Israel. The author pays a particular attention to the aid from Moslem philanthropy organizations and local population to victims of Jewish pogroms in Poland and Ukraine during 1918 - 1920.

The work was new at retracing a close interaction and collaboration between the Jewish community and Azerbaijani and other ethnic and religious groups within the framework of governmental structures and the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

It should be noted that "heads of the ADR maintained relations with Palestinian Jews who returned to places of their historical residence earlier last century. Decades later these persons created the state of Israel. The ADR is known to have existed less than two years and thus relations between the Azerbaijani state and founders of future independent Israel were broken", M. Becker noted.

A summary to the book refers to its contents, illustrative material about numerous petitions addressed to a vicegerent in the Caucasus concerning the right to residence in various parts of the governorate, including the limits of p[resent-day Azerbaijan. Of particular interest are professions of applicants, their places of residence and origin. Also offered are data on the number of Jewish population and its dependence upon labor market capacity. Detailed information is provided about activities of Jews-owned petroleum companies, a role of the Caspian-Black Sea oil-industry and trading corporation of Rothschild in the development of petroleum and refinery industry, tanker fleet and oil pipeline laying.

It should be remembered that a considerable part of the work dealt with the activities of various parties and participation of the Jewish population in them, especially after 1905. It details about the Jewish periodical press, refers to newspapers and magazines issued in Baku in the reviewed period. The research places the importance on religious, enlightment, cultural and theatrical activity of the Jewish community, philanthropic organizations and other institutions. An important part of the life of the Jewish community of Azerbaijan was the creation of developed and multipurpose system of education. In addition to the fact that many Jewish children attended general gymnasiums while those indigent continued studies at Jewish schools and colleges under the community.

The work examines the policy of local authorities in the popular education. As is known, there was a percentage in the Russian Empire for Jews willing to get education at public schools and gymnasiums. According to information available, Jewish grammar-school boys made up 10% of total number of students to comply with "the area of permanent residence for Jews" as established by the authorities. Besides, lists of pupils of high school with licentiates and geography of their origin are offered. Of particular interest is a longstanding correspondence between the community and the town council over the construction of a central choral synagogue, as well as a role of Azerbaijani intellectuals, merchants and petroleum industrialists in free allocation of land. Also provided are previously unknown information about physicians and pharmacologists, creation of pharmacy society, numerous documents on formation and development of public health system in Azerbaijan.

It should be noted that the monograph publication is dependent on the project financing. With this in mind, M. Becker is hopeful of sponsor support from American Jewish organizations. He told Turan that the publication of the monograph would be of benefit not only to awareness of Jews and other readers but for the development of inter-state Azerbaijani-Iranian relations.