Baku Jews want to return a building of Choral Synagogue

Baku/05.06.21/Turan: Baku Jews now residing in Azerbaijan and and those residing in other countries, publish from time to time their wishes about the return of the building of the Rashid Beybutov Song Theater to Baku, to the descendants of the Jews who built it. The last appeal of this sort came on June 3 from Roman Tsypin from Israel (in FB).

He recalls that four days ago, on the instructions of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, a land plot was allocated for the construction of a Jewish religious and cultural center, in the immediate vicinity of the Baku synagogue.

According to the project, it is planned to build a four-story building. This is a plot of land with an area of 500 sq. m. In the future, it is planned to create premises for various events inside the building, including conference and seminar halls.

Roman Tsypin believes that it'd be better if the building of the Song Theater previously used as a Jewish choral synagogue in tsarist times, be returned to the Jews.

"Using the holy Jewish place for theater and entertainment… What a blasphemy that is! Having respect for the Jews, Ilham Aliyev should show it in deed, not in word. The ancient Jewish choral synagogue was the first Ashkenazi synagogue built in Baku with money of rich Jews from Lithuania (Litvaks). The Jews donated a lot to the city at that time! The Rashid Beybutov Theater can be opened in any other place, " Tsypin writes.

There are different opinions on this issue among Azerbaijanis. Some remind us that despite s small number of Jews in Baku, two synagogues were built for them in the city center. You don't have to give away the song theater.

Others, like the author of the blog in "Echo of Moscow" Elnur Melikov writes that, in Jews' view, there are no problems for them in Azerbaijan. But the spiritual and property issues of the Jewish community of Azerbaijan remain unresolved. The building of the Song Theater was built in 1901 with the financial support of the Jewish community of Baku and material donations from Azerbaijani patrons, including oil magnate Zeynalabdin Tagiyev.

"Until 1936, the building existed as a Large Choral Synagogue. Various religious events and rituals were held there, as well as weddings. But in 1936, the Azerbaijani State Jewish Theater was created in the building. During the war years, there was an infirmary there. In the 70s, the Jewish Theater was closed, and the State Research Institute of Land Reclamation appeared in the building. In the 80s, members of the Baku Jewish community went to Moscow, to the chief rabbi with a request that he would facilitate the return of the synagogue but failed. At the end of the last century, by the order of Heydar Aliyev, the building was renamed into the Rashid Beybutov Song Theater.  In 2005, the Jewish community once again tried to appeal to the authorities for return of the synagogue; however,the authorities of the Republic refused without any explanation."

Elnur Melikov believes that modern Azerbaijan should not continue the policy of the Bolsheviks and return the building to its historical owners-the Jews. This will be in line with democratic values of the country. And for the R. Beibutov Song Theater you can build a better building elsewhere.

One of the active forum users wrote: "Crystal Hall" on the boulevard is empty in Baku. If the Theater of R. Beibutov needs to gather somewhere, to rehearse, then there are places for this. And the Jews need to return their religious building. This is how we will adequately respond to Israel which has done so much for our victory in Karabakh.

Director of the R. Beibutov Song Theater, Kazim Gasimov, in an interview with Turan, advised not to raise this issue, especially since no serious, as he said, Jewish organization has applied for the return of the building to them.

"If there is an appeal from a serious organization, then we shall respond," Gasimov said.

He believes that the Baku Jews have two synagogues tp please all the believers. Jews as a national minority are hedged round with care and attention of the Azerbaijani state, so all their desires are satisfied. And the building of the Song Theater is on the balance sheet of the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, so there is no need in changing anything.

We failed to hear the views of the Ministry of Culture: none of phone numbers of this state department listed on its official website deigned to give an answer.-0-