‘’In all of my talks I heard how Jews are accepted in Azerbaijan and how they feel like an integral part of society,’’ declared Belgian Jewish Member of the Parliament Michael Freilich after returning from a visit to the Jewish community of this Muslim nation.
The MP from Antwerp, who is member of the opposition N-VA party, held talks in Baku with authorities to thank them for the support they are providing local Jews and asked that they remain vigilant against Iranian threats. ‘’I was very impressed with my visit,’’ he said.
The government of Azerbaijan provided substantial funds to the Jewish people in the country in order to rebuild their synagogues, schools and community centres. This was badly needed after years of neglect under the Soviet regime, which lasted till 1991, when Azerbaijan became independent.
In the capital he met the Chabad emissary Shneor Segal and with local community rabbi Zamir Isayev. They spoke about the Jewish education centre and the various activities that are organised for young Jews in the country.
He also spoke with the Religious Authority of the country as well as the Center for Multiculturalism where they discussed the planning and security for an upcoming conference of Rabbis that will see some 800 Jewish spiritual leaders descend upon the capital Baku after the summer.
At the Milli Majis, the Parliament of Azerbaijan, Freilich met with various MPs including with Anatoly Rafailov Chaimovitch, the only Jewish MP in Azerbaijan. “I am always pleased to meet with Jewish Parliament Members as I know what it’s like to be a minority in such an important position,’’ he noted.
He also held economical meetings in the country, as this is his main focus of work in Belgium.
Freilich also went to the Jewish village of Guba, located some 2 hours north of Baku, which is home to some 3000 mountain Jews. This willage has had a Jewish presence for many hundreds of years. He visited the newly opened Museum of the Mountain Jews as well as two synagogues that have been magnificently restored.
In Baku, he saw the monument for Albert Agarunov, a Jewish tank leader in the army of Azerbaijan who was killed in a battle with Armenia. Agarunov is a national hero who has his own statue in the centre of town. ”It might sounds counter-intuitive, but many countries in Europe can actually learn from this example on how to live and sustain their Jewish communities,” Freilich said.
During his visit, the Belgian MP sat down for a briefing with Israeli ambassador George Geek who is an Israeli Arab Christian. They talked about the close cooperation between Israel and Azerbaijan who work intensely together on issues such as energy, cyber security, trade and on regional stability and security issues.
Azerbaijan has a tense relation with its neighbour Iran. Last year there was a terrorist attack on the Azerbaijan embassy in Tehran and the country warned its residents about travel to the Iran for fear of attacks. Azerbaijan is also one of the main suppliers of oil to Israel and therefore a strategic ally of the Jewish state.
Freilich, who praised this cooperation, has been working in the Belgian parliament to sanction the Iranian Republican Guard Corps (IRGC) and the political arm of Hezbollah, which are not outlawed in his country.
“Perhaps one of the nicest moments of the visit was when I met a large group of Israeli tourists in the Jewish village of Guba”, Freilich recalls. “The group asked if we could take a photo together on the steps of the ancient synagogue. Of course I agreed and after the photo, the group spontaneously burst out in song and dance of “Am Yisrael Chai”, the Jewish people lives!.’’
‘’To hear this openly in a Muslim country, where Jews from Europe and Israel can come together as brothers in peace has a deep and significant meeting. These are indeed very special times,’’ he added.
Yossi Lempkowicz
