Baku
Description
The Baku Jewish community began to form in past centuries, with Jews arriving primarily from Iran and, to a lesser extent, from Turkey. By the early 19th century, it had grown significantly. However, anti-Jewish riots instigated by Russian authorities in 1824, which claimed many lives, forced the Jews to leave Baku. Most of them relocated to Quba, where they were warmly welcomed by the locals.
After the situation stabilized under Russian rule and the emergence of oil fields, Jews began returning to Baku. The community now grew due to settlers descending from the mountains and those arriving from nearby towns such as Sheki, Shirvan, Shamakhi, Vartashen, and others, as well as from Quba.
Currently, the Baku Jewish community is the largest in the Eastern Caucasus. As of 1984, it numbered over thirty thousand people.
