Jews and their neighbours in Central Asia and Caucasus in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries

The Jewish presence in Central Asia and the Caucasus spans over a millennium, with the first significant records of Jewish communities appearing in the fourth century CE along the Silk Roads. Distinct Jewish groups, including Georgian Jews, Mountain Jews and Bukharan Jews, developed unique cultural identities and maintained close interactions with their non-Jewish neighbours, contributing significantly to local economies and societies. While these communities faced varying degrees of legal and social restrictions under Christian, Muslim and later Russian rule, they thrived as merchants, artisans and traders. Despite periods of persecution, including Soviet-era repression and the rise of modern antisemitism, Jews in the region played vital roles in trade, industry and intellectual life. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, many Jews emigrated, leading to a decline in these historic communities by the early 2000s, though their cultural and economic influence remains significant in the region’s history.