Call for Papers

We offer a lecture on the following topic for the international conference:

THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE MOUNTAIN JEWS IN THE CAUCASUS, PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS

(today, this area comprises the Republic of Azerbaijan, Russian Federation

(Republics of Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Chechnya, and Stavropol Krai))

The international conference will be held on August 30-31, 2023 at Baku International Multiculturalism Center (Azerbaijan)

Caucasian Jews (Juhurs or Mountain Jews) are an ethno-religious community with an ancient Jewish tradition and a rich cultural heritage. This community played an important role in the historical processes in the Caucasus, Iran, Russia and Eastern Europe. Part of this community, which preserved its traditional Judaism for generations, later moved to the land of Israel. After the formation and expansion of the Zionist movement, many mountain Jews joined this movement during the period when the Soviet Union imposed immigration restrictions on them. With the opening of the doors of the Soviet Union, large communities of Caucasian Jews began to form in Israel, Russia, other territories of the former USSR, as well as in large cities of Germany, Canada, and the United States. Over time, mutual relations were established between various Jewish communities and Caucasian Jews. Among them were Ashkenazis, Aramaic-speaking Jews (Nash Didan), Georgian Jews and Subbotniks.

We invite researchers to report on the following topics:

Community and Family

Inter-communal Relations

Socioeconomic Status

Creativity, Literature and Performing Arts

Manuscripts and Torah Literature

National & Ethnic Identities

Status & Research of the Juhuri Language

Local Jewish Languages and Dialects

Multiculturalism

Gender Studies

The Zionist Movement and Immigration to Israel

World War II and the Holocaust

The Geographical Region

Jewish communities in the area

The Academic Committee will also consider papers on related topics not listed above. Researchers wishing to present should submit a one-page abstract (up to 250 words), a brief biography, and an email address.

Final date for submission of papers is May 21, 2023

 dahan.center@biu.ac.ilProposals should be sent to: 

Dahan Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan

Papers presented at the conference will be published later.

Conference papers can be presented in English, Russian, and Hebrew.

We look forward to welcoming you among the conference participants!

Sincerely,

On behalf of the organizing committee of the conference:

, Bar-Ilan UniversityProf. Dan Shapira

, Bar-Ilan UniversityProf. Yaron Harel

Ashkelon Academic CollegeProf. Shimon Sharvit, 

Bar-Ilan UniversityProf. Zehavit Gross, 

 Rector of Azerbaijan University of LanguagesAcad. Kamal Abdullayev,

Azerbaijan University of Languages, BakuProf. Jala Garibova, 

, Baku International Multiculturalism CenterProf. Ayten Gahraman

, Research Center of Jews in Central-Asia and the Iranian Sphere, Ben-Zvi Institute for the Study of Jewish Communities in the East, JerusalemDr. Zeev Levin, Director

Executive director of BIMCDr. Ravan Hasanov, 

Rector of Institute of TheologyDr. Agil Shirinov, 

, Director of the Dahan CenterDr. Shimon Ohayon

, Bar-Ilan UniversityDr. Efrat Aviv

Community of Azerbaijan’s Mountain Jews in Baku

, Bar-Ilan UniversityCoordinator: Ms. Alissa Abramov