Jewish Life in Baku: Synagogues, Shabbat Tables, and a Jewish Town Two Hours North

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On Friday evenings, the Chabad House on Dilara Aliyeva Street in central Baku sets its tables for Shabbat guests. Two hours north, across the river from the town of Quba, lies the Red Village, a Mountain Jewish settlement founded in the 18th century. Israelis who come to Baku for business, a holiday, or a home on the Caspian coast will find an active Jewish community in the city. Here is where to pray, where to eat kosher, what to see, and how to plan.

A community with roots older than the oil boom

Azerbaijan's Jewish community is made up of several groups. The Mountain Jews have the deepest roots: according to the World Jewish Congress, they go back to the Persian Empire. Their traditional language, Judeo-Tat (Juhuri), is an Iranian language with Hebrew elements. Ashkenazi Jews arrived much later: the first settled in Baku in 1811, and more came with the city's oil boom. Georgian and Bukharian Jews are part of the community too.

Estimates of the community's size vary widely. The World Jewish Congress profile puts it at about 7,200, and a 2009 estimate by demographer Sergio DellaPergola gave a range of 7,800 to 16,000. For a visitor, what matters is that Baku has synagogues, a Jewish day school, a kosher food service, and a mikveh.

Baku's two main synagogues

The Ashkenazi and Georgian synagogue, 171 Dilara Aliyeva Street. This building opened in 2003 and serves two congregations. The Chabad House of Baku, led by Rabbi Shneor Segal and Chavi Segal, operates from the same address, so prayer, Shabbat meals, and kosher food are all under one roof. For many visitors, this is the place to start.

The Mountain Jews synagogue, 72 Ali Mardan Topchubashov Street. The current building opened in 2011 and replaced an older synagogue that served the community through Soviet times. It also houses the community's offices and holds a daily minyan. The prayer customs here are Mountain Jewish, a tradition of their own, so follow the congregation's lead.

If you plan to attend services on Shabbat or a holiday, message the community in advance.

Kosher food and Shabbat in Baku

Kosher food in Baku is available through the Chabad House and at kosher restaurants. According to Chabad of Baku, the Chabad House offers:

• Friday night and Shabbat meals, by prior registration;
• Shabbat meals to go;
• prepared kosher food on weekdays;
• online orders with delivery to any address in Baku, including hotels.

Chabad also lists an active mikveh in Baku and publishes local halachic times, including candle lighting. There is no eruv in the city, so plan Shabbat carrying accordingly. If you are staying outside the center, for example on the coast, ask about delivery when you order.

Baku also has kosher restaurants. Rimon, at 74 Uzeyir Hajibeyov Street in central Baku, is a kosher restaurant supervised by Rabbi Zamir Isayev. In September 2026, jnews.az, a Baku Jewish community news site, reported that Aviv, a new kosher restaurant, had opened. Hours and kosher supervision can change, so check them with the restaurant before you visit.

The Red Village: a day trip worth making

Qırmızı Qəsəbə, known as the Red Village or Krasnaya Sloboda, sits across the Qudyal River from Quba, about 170 to 180 kilometers north of Baku. The drive takes roughly two to two and a half hours. The settlement dates to the 18th century, when the Khan of Quba allowed Jews to build a community across the river from his town. Its Russian name was Yevreyskaya Sloboda, the "Jewish Settlement," until the Soviet era renamed it the "Red Settlement."

Azerbaijan's official tourism board says it is "believed to have been the only entirely Jewish settlement outside of Israel and the United States." Juhuri is still spoken in its streets, and the 2010 census counted 3,598 residents, mostly Jews.

The highlight for visitors is the Museum of Mountain Jews, housed in the restored Karchogy synagogue, which was closed in the Soviet period. Its collection covers rites and traditions, language, aliyah, and the Holocaust. One exhibit is the "chopped book," a Torah scroll that, according to the museum, took a blade blow and saved the life of the village rabbi centuries ago.

Plan around the museum's hours: Sunday to Thursday, 10:00 to 18:00, and Friday, 10:00 to 14:00. It is closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays.

Israel and Azerbaijan: more than three decades of ties

Israel and Azerbaijan established diplomatic relations in 1992. Israel opened its embassy in Baku in 1993, and Azerbaijan opened its embassy in Tel Aviv on March 29, 2023. At that opening, Azerbaijan's foreign minister noted that direct flights between the two countries have operated since 1993. For the wider picture, read Azerbaijan: a strong strategic partner for Israel.

Practical tips for Israelis

• Flights: nonstop flights from Tel Aviv to Baku are scheduled at about three hours.
• Visa: Israelis need a visa. You can apply online for an e-Visa at evisa.gov.az or get a visa on arrival at international airports. Both allow a single entry and a stay of up to 30 days.
• Passport: Israel's Foreign Ministry advises a passport valid for six months beyond your stay.
• Travel warnings: check the Israeli National Security Council travel warnings page before you book and again before you fly.
• Families moving to Baku: the Ohr Avner Chabad day school has operated in Baku since 1999, according to the World Jewish Congress. Contact the school directly about enrollment.

Living near the community, or on the coast

If you are looking for a home in Baku, you can choose between the city and the coast. Sea Breeze, the Caspian resort founded and led by Emin Agalarov, is 20–25 minutes by car from central Baku, so the synagogues and the Chabad House remain within reach.

Tevakol Family (T.R. Civil Engineering Ltd.) is a family engineering and construction company working in Israel and Azerbaijan, and it has been active in Azerbaijan since 2018. It is a partner and developer in Marina Village, where keys are being handed over through 2026, and in BRABUS Island, targeted for handover around 2030, both in Sea Breeze. It is also a partner and developer in Sabah Residence, completed in 2022 in the city center.

See also: Sea Breeze · Buyers FAQ · More flights to Baku

Frequently asked questions

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Ask Tevakol on WhatsApp +994 51 676 13 38

Informational only. Details such as opening hours and services can change; confirm them with the community or venue before you travel.