American rabbi: Baku — the city I want to return to Article by Arizona Jewish Post

The Arizona Jewish Post published an article by American Rabbi Samuel Cohon, dedicated to Azerbaijani-Israeli friendship. Caliber.Az presents excerpts from his piece.

“I returned Nov. 20 from a whirlwind 10-day rabbinic visit to Azerbaijan and Israel with the Zionist Rabbinical Coalition. The journey felt more like a month than a week and was productive and valuable in many different ways. 

The meetings and briefings throughout the trip were at a very high level, including extended visits with both countries’ respective ambassadors, prominent members of Parliament in both countries, and government ministers in charge of major departments. We met with perhaps the most important advisor to President Eliav in Azerbaijan, the US charge d’affaires in Baku, outside experts in both countries, and with Israeli soldiers, IDF representatives, and other key people in the current situation in Gaza. In Azerbaijan we also visited both of the Jewish day schools in Baku, prayed and enjoyed Shabbat and traveled to the all-Jewish village in the mountains that was the homeland area for many of the Azerbaijani Jews. In Israel, we spent time at the Foreign Ministry, visited the Knesset and the new Knesset Museum, and had extensive meetings and discussions on the subject of how Israel is trying to grapple with worldwide antisemitism now.  

When I told people I was going on a Zionist Rabbinic Coalition mission trip to Azerbaijan and Israel, the most common reaction was “Why are you going there?” meaning Azerbaijan. The second most common response was “Where is Azerbaijan?” I, too, had very little idea where Azerbaijan is located, and why it might be interesting or important in the contemporary Jewish world or involved in any way in the life of Israel. There is much to explain and explore about this Shia Muslim nation that is so far from us. A former republic of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan today is a first-world, oil-rich country, and its capital city, Baku, is impressive: magnificent ultra-modern architecture, restored early 20th-century mansions, state-of-the-art museums, a wonderful Old Town dating to the 12th century, and a terrific boardwalk along the Caspian Sea. It even has an ancient Zoroastrian Fire Temple, which I managed to add to the itinerary and visit, discovering it had also been a worship site for Hindus and Sikhs. Baku is a modern city, clean and safe, with excellent roads and beautiful and well-maintained parks, especially when compared with American cities these days. Now that I’ve seen it, I definitely want to return.  

But we American rabbis weren’t in Azerbaijan to enjoy the tourist sites. This small nation of 10 million in the Caucasus has the distinction of being the largest Shiite nation with full diplomatic relations with Israel and a Jewish community that dates to First Temple times, perhaps 2700 years ago. Our rabbinical group was in Baku to affirm, on behalf of Zionist American rabbis, our support for its close and positive connections with Israel, to find out more about a nation that might serve as a model for how a 95% Muslim country can establish a warm, mutually supportive bilateral relationship with Israel, and to interact with and learn about its active Jewish community. When we traveled on to Israel, part of our mission was to see the Israeli perspective on Azerbaijan. There were some well-thought-out parallel experiences on our trip: we had a wonderful meeting and dinner at the home of the Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Ronen Krausz, and in Jerusalem, enjoyed a similarly warm and open discussion and dinner with the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Israel, Mukhtar Mammadov. 

Azerbaijan has strong similarities to Israel, especially in one aspect in particular: it is located in a very, very tough neighborhood. The country borders Russia to the north and east, Iran to the south, and Armenia, both to the north and west. Their friendliest neighbor is Turkey. Azerbaijan has developed a strong and independent military without receiving substantial help from the West or the US. Israel, however, has provided significant support, and we were told often of the gratitude that Azerbaijan feels to the Jewish State for that support. There is a strong commercial relationship with Israel. 

We had one surprising bashert moment in Baku. On our last full day there, on Shabbat, after services and lunch, we had a walking tour of the magnificent Old City. As we strolled past residences, art galleries, and restaurants built into the ancient city walls and towers, I saw a mezuzah and a Hamsa on the door of one building. I wondered aloud to a colleague if someone Jewish still lived there, and an older man walking up to the place said, “Do you want to come inside?” It was his house, and it turns out, he is an artist who paints portraits of the Jewish victims of terror and IDF heroes who have died in fighting. His portraits were exceptional — I have photos of some — and in our dialogue in Hebrew, he explained that he is motivated to do this work not for money, which he apparently has plenty of, but as a tribute to the lives of these heroes of Judaism. One of his portraits was of Daniel Pearl, z”l, the American journalist murdered by terrorists whose last words were “I am a Jew.” 

We flew from Baku to Ben Gurion on one of 21 weekly flights between the countries. There are no longer posters of the missing hostages as you walk through the airport, a welcome change from my last visit in January 2024, when their images — posters, bumper stickers, tableaus, video boards, buttons, and more — were everywhere. 

People are more relaxed than they were when I visited in January 2024, a dark time during the Gaza War when the return of the remaining hostages seemed impossible. The sidewalks, museums, hotels, and streets are crowded again — the traffic was often terrible, which in this case is a good thing indeed. I had a great day hanging out with cousins in Jerusalem, taking the train to Tel Aviv, and spending time in parts of that busy city I had never been to. 

Our visit to the Gaza envelope was powerful and painful, if also somewhat affirming. Walking through the Nova Festival memorial site, which now sees 5,000 visitors a day, brought me to tears. Being in the room where the Israeli young women soldiers who were field observers died at the hands of the Hamas Palestinian terrorists, hurt the heart. But hearing the energetic affirmations of young, idealistic Israeli soldiers who are profoundly committed to the mission of protecting the unified people of Israel restored faith and hope. 

I can tell you that it is time to plan to go back to Israel and revel in its incredible energy and accomplishments.  

I can see what the Azerbaijanis see: a terrific country to have as an ally. 

In our recent Torah portions, we see the initial and longer-term estrangement of two brothers, Jacob and Esau. It often feels like that between the Jewish and Muslim worlds, sibling hostility that has degenerated to terrible and profound violence. But this visit brought me hope that the reunification of family that has occurred between a Shiite Muslim nation, Azerbaijan, and a deeply Jewish nation, Israel, may serve as a true model of peace and cooperation for the future of the Middle East. And who knows? If Jews and Muslims can live in peace, why can’t the whole world?” wrote the American rabbi.