The Jewish quarter of Bukhara

Jews have lived in Central Asia since antiquity; community tradition traces their origins to the exiles of Babylon and Persia. Over the centuries a distinct community formed, known as the Bukharan Jews, because Bukhara was its main centre. They spoke Bukhori, a dialect of Tajik-Persian written in Hebrew letters, and developed their own music, cuisine, dress and religious customs.

Under the khans and emirs, Jews were tolerated but subject to restrictions: they paid a special tax, had to wear distinctive clothing, such as a rope belt, and were required to live within defined quarters. From the 19th century, especially after Russian rule reached Central Asia, many Bukharan Jews became successful merchants in the cotton, textile and silk trades, and built fine houses. In the Soviet era their religious life was restricted, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 the great majority emigrated. Today large Bukharan Jewish communities live in Israel and in New York, especially in Queens.

The quarter, called a mahalla, consists of narrow lanes between high blank walls, with carved wooden doors leading to inner courtyards. Many houses passed to Uzbek families after emigration; others have become guesthouses. Walking here gives a sense of the traditional structure of the old city, where life turns inward to the courtyard rather than the street.

Look for Stars of David carved on doors or gates, and for Hebrew inscriptions on some buildings. Former Bukharan Jews who return to visit sometimes seek out their families’ old homes, and a few houses have plaques recording their history.

The main working synagogue of the quarter is a modest building, from the outside indistinguishable from the houses around it. Inside, a courtyard leads to a prayer hall with benches, a reading platform and an ark holding Torah scrolls, some of which are said to be very old. The synagogue has long been the centre of community life, with a school and a place to gather on holidays.

Visitors are generally welcome outside services if someone is there to open the door; a member of the community may show you around and tell the story of the building. A donation is appreciated. It is closed on the Sabbath (from Friday evening to Saturday evening) to tourists, and you should dress modestly; men may be asked to cover their heads.

Wealthy Bukharan Jewish families of the late 19th and early 20th century built houses with rich interiors: carved and painted wooden ceilings, walls with carved ganch (alabaster) panels, niches for dishes, and sometimes European touches such as mirrors and stained glass. Some of these houses have been restored as guesthouses or small museums and can be visited. They show a distinctive blend of Central Asian craftsmanship and the international taste of a trading community.

On the eastern edge of the old city is the large Jewish cemetery, one of the oldest in Central Asia. Older graves have simple stones with Hebrew inscriptions; more recent ones carry engraved portraits of the deceased, a Soviet-era custom. It is a moving place and still maintained by the community abroad. A local guide can arrange a visit.

Location: the lanes south and south-east of Lyabi-Hauz, a few minutes’ walk from the Nadir Divan-Begi madrasah.

Time needed: 1–1.5 hours for the lanes and the synagogue; more with the cemetery.

Tips: the lanes are a residential area; keep noise down and ask before photographing people or entering courtyards. Ask locally for directions to the synagogue (sinagoga), as it is not well signposted. A guide familiar with the community’s history makes the visit much richer. Combine with the Magoki-Attori mosque, which, according to a local tradition, was once shared by Muslims and Jews for prayer.