Call for Papers

You are invited to submit a lecture proposal for the upcoming international conference on the following subject:

THE HERITAGE & CULTURE OF THE JEWS IN THE NORTH AND EAST CAUCASUS

(today, this area comprises the Republic of Azerbaijan, Dagestan,

Kabardino-Balkaria, Chechnya, and Stavropol Krai)

To be held on Wednesday, August 30 – Thursday, August 31, 2023

at the Baku International Multiculturalism Center in Azerbaijan

The Jews of the North and West Caucasus (known as Juhuro or Mountain Jews) belong to a community with an ancient Jewish tradition and a rich cultural heritage. This Jewish community played a prominent role in the process of modern Jewish history in the spheres of Greater Iran, Russia and Eastern Europe. Over the generations, motivated by their traditional Judaism, these Jews also immigrated to the Land of Israel. With the establishment and expansion of the Zionist movement, many of the community’s Jews joined the waves of immigration to Israel, until the Soviets restricted their numbers. With the opening of the gates of the Soviet Union, large communities of North and West Caucasian Jews were formed in the major cities of Israel, Russia, the former USSR, Germany, Canada, and the USA. Over time, many different Jewish communities interacted with these North and West Caucasian Jewish communities, among them:  Ashkenazi Jews, Aramaeo-speaking Jews of Eastern Kurdistan (Nash Didan), Jews of Georgia, and Subbotniks. Mutual influences existed between the various communities.

We invite researchers to present proposals for lectures on the following topics:

Community & Family

Inter-communal Relations

Socioeconomic Status

Creativity, Literature, and Performing Arts

Manuscripts and Torah Literature

National & Ethnic Identities

Status & Research of the Juhuri Language

Local Jewish Languages and Dialects

Multiculturalism

Gender

The Zionist Movement and Immigration to Israel

World War II and the Holocaust

The Geographical Region

Jewish communities in the area

The Academic Committee will also consider proposals on related topics that are not listed above. All researchers specializing in one of the relevant fields are invited to submit a lecture proposal accompanied by a one-page (up to 250 words) abstract, a brief biography, and an e-mail address for contact.

Final date for submission of proposals is May 21, 2023.

Proposals should be sent to: [email protected]

Dahan Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan

Papers presented at the Conference will later be published, subject to appropriate academic review. Conference papers can be presented in Azerbaijani, English, Russian, and Hebrew.

We look forward to welcoming you among the conference participants.

Sincerely,

Organisators

Prof. Dan Shapira, Bar-Ilan University

Prof. Yaron Harel, Bar-Ilan University

Prof. Shimon Sharvit, Ashkelon Academic College

Prof. Zehavit Gross, Bar-Ilan University

Acad. Kamal Abdullayev, Rector of Azerbaijan University of Languages

Prof. Jala Garibova Azerbaijan University of Languages, Baku

Prof. Ayten Gahraman, Baku International Multiculturalism Center

Dr. Zeev Levin, Director, Research Center of Jews in Central-Asia and the Iranian Sphere, Ben-Zvi Institute for the Study of Jewish Communities in the East, Jerusalem

Dr. Ravan Hasanov, Executive director of BIMC

Dr. Agil Shirinov, Rector of Institute of Theology

Dr. Shimon Ohayon, Director of the Dahan Center

Dr. Efrat Aviv, Bar-Ilan University

Community of Azerbaijan’s Mountain Jews in Baku

Coordinator: Ms. Alissa Abramov, Bar-Ilan University

name of the speaker_____

the academic institution______

department______

Phones: Home _____,  mobile_____

e-mail____

Title _____

Attached are the abstracts of the lecture

Sincerely,

Signature

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