US Jewish organizations hail Muslim Azerbaijan for its tolerance towards Jews

Jewish American organizations hailed the Muslim-majority state Azerbaijan during a forum held in the U.S. Congress on religious freedom in the Caucasus region.

Rabbi Zamir Isayev, chief rabbi of the Sephardi community of Baku, shared his experience as a Jew living in Azerbaijan.

"Nobody in Azerbaijan is asking local Jews about double loyalty. The idea that building bridges between Baku and Jerusalem is not in the interests of the Azerbaijani nation is considered absurd," Isayev said.

"Everybody knows that we have a very long border with Iran, which always tries to harm our schools and synagogues by sending proxies – foreigners and hired criminals," the rabbi continued. "We never needed to ask the local secret service for additional security. They are highly professional and always provide additional protection even before we know that there is a threat. And the local population is very sympathetic to us. A Jew in a kippah can freely roam the streets. Azerbaijanis associate Jews with Israel, and Israel is considered an ally and a friend."

The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se) also praised Azerbaijan as the first Muslim-majority state with textbooks that reject antisemitism and radical Islamist values.

"The textbooks demonstrate a clear rejection of the extreme Islamist values promoted by their near-neighbor Iran," IMPACT–se CEO Marcus Sheff assessed. "Instead, they promote tolerance, diversity, and a heartfelt respect for Jews and Israel, which serves as an important model for many other majority-Muslim states."

While Holocaust denial is widespread in much of the Muslim world, Azerbaijan presents the Holocaust as a genocide against the Jewish people. Azerbaijani textbooks also include international definitions of antisemitism.

"Azerbaijan promotes the freedom of religion and tolerance, creating an open environment for all religions to flourish, including Judaism," the IMPACT-se report concluded. "Students are taught the value of tolerance and harmony in modern society, and examples of Jewish prayer and rituals are incorporated into the curriculum."

Azeri Jewish singer Asaf (Sefael) Mishiyev recently made history by becoming the first Jewish artist to represent the Muslim-majority country Azerbaijan in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland in May.

Mishiyev recently spoke to Israeli news outlet Ynet News about his identity as an Azeri and a Jew.

"I can speak Hebrew. I studied at a Jewish school here – there are two Jewish schools in Baku. Our relations with Israel are very strong. I feel like I’m not only representing Azerbaijan, my country, which I’m proud to represent, but also the Jewish people because my parents are Jewish," Misheyev said. He also revealed that he had so far visited the Jewish state twice.

"The first time was on a Birthright trip," Mishiyev said, referring to his tour with Birthright Israel. "The second time was for a global Jewish music competition, where I represented Azerbaijan and won." 

In recent years, Azerbaijan and Israel have developed close commercial and military ties.

In May 2023, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, during a state visit to Azerbaijan, emphasized the strong bilateral relations between the two countries. He also stressed that the Iranian regime poses a threat to both countries.

“We need to remember that beyond trade and historic ties, including with the Jewish community, that Azerbaijan is Iran's neighbor,” Herzog stated. “Iran is a destabilizing influence in the region that is working continuously to act against Israel and against the developing alliance of peace and security in the region, and I will certainly discuss this.”