20. I finally tracked down Bukhara’s synagogue in the alleys of the old town only to find its wooden doors shut. The solid facades of the alley gave no clues as to whether there was any life behind them. But soon a man appeared with keys to the building. Yura, the night watchman, pushed the doors open, revealing a well-maintained courtyard with white painted walls adorned with inscriptions in Hebrew and black and gold wall hangings concealing the synagogue’s 500-year-old Torah. Yura told me about Bukhara’s Jewish community. The synagogue dates from the 16th century and is still in use, although the number of worshippers has declined dramatically over the years. There are only around 300 left in the city, and some of those are about to leave. Since the 1970’s, when Soviet emigration controls were relaxed, thousands of Jews have left Bukhara. This process speeded up after Uzbekistan gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, although exact figures are hard to come by as there has been no official census in the country since 1989. Many Jews have left for Israel and America, while others have settled in Europe. Yura took me to see the community’s school, which is thriving despite the decreasing number of Jews. It teaches in Uzbek, Russian, English and Hebrew and is popular with students from the wider community for its high educational standards. The city’s Jewish cemetery is also well-maintained and gives a strong sense of how long the community has resided in these parts. Èmigrès send money to support the synagogue, school and cemetery, but these remittances have not been able to reverse the community’s decline. Over the centuries the Jewish community has contributed greatly to the city’s business and cultural life. Its struggle to survive now is its biggest test ever. At the current rate of emigration there may not be any worshippers left, and the synagogue and cemetery will be museums that commemorate Bukhara’s lost Jewish heritage. It is difficult to know the exact details of Jewish emigration from Uzbekistan because...

Question

20. I finally tracked down Bukhara’s synagogue in the alleys of the old town only to find its  wooden doors shut. The solid facades of the alley gave no clues as to whether there was any life behind them. But soon a man appeared with keys to the building.    Yura, the night watchman, pushed the doors open, revealing a well-maintained courtyard with white painted walls adorned with inscriptions in Hebrew and black and gold wall hangings concealing the synagogue’s 500-year-old Torah. Yura told me about Bukhara’s Jewish community. The synagogue dates from the 16th century and is still in use, although the number of worshippers has declined dramatically over the years. There are only around 300 left in the city, and some of those are about to leave.     Since the 1970’s, when Soviet emigration controls were relaxed, thousands of Jews have left Bukhara. This process speeded up after Uzbekistan gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, although exact figures are hard to come by as there has been no official census in the country since 1989. Many Jews have left for Israel and America, while others have settled in Europe.   Yura took me to see the community’s school, which is thriving despite the decreasing number of Jews. It teaches in Uzbek, Russian, English and Hebrew and is popular with students from the wider community for its high educational standards.   The city’s Jewish cemetery is also well-maintained and gives a strong sense of how long the community has resided in these parts. Èmigrès send money to support the synagogue, school and cemetery, but these remittances have not been able to reverse the community’s decline. Over the centuries the Jewish community has contributed greatly to the city’s business and cultural life. Its struggle to survive now is its biggest test ever. At the current rate of emigration there may not be any worshippers left, and the synagogue and cemetery will be museums that commemorate Bukhara’s lost Jewish heritage. It is difficult to know the exact details of Jewish emigration from Uzbekistan because...

Answer

Many Jews went to America.

Answer

Official records have not been kept for the past 20 years.

Answer

Soviet emigration controls were relaxed.

Answer

It increased dramatically when Uzbekistan became independent from the Soviet Union.

Crowdly

20. I finally tracked down Bukhara’s synagogue in the alleys of the old town onl...

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