Alternate names: Quba [Azeri], Kuba [Rus], Guba.. 1990 Jewish population: 3,500. 41°22' N, 48°31' E, in NE Azerbaijan, 98 miles NW of Baki.
Also see Qirmizi [Dec 2018]
Jewish Community of Kuba, pos. Krasnaya Sloboda, 26, Guseina St., Kuba 373166
The mysteries of Azerbaijan: A Shiite nation embraces its Jews By Rob Eshman December 18, 2013 [Feb 2014]
"The Jewish settlement of Kuba has been inhabited by Jews since the 13th century. In 1742, a local ruler named Falikhan gave the Jews, who were being persecuted by Islamic fundamentalists, permission to settle on the left bank of the mountain river Kudiyal-Chay opposite his town. The community flourished, and its members proudly upheld their ancestors' tradition. By 1917, when the Bolsheviks came to power, the community was renamed "Krasnaya sloboda" (Red settlement), and it had grown to 18,000 people and had 13 synagogues. However, Stalin's reign of terror and forced assimilation left their mark on this mountain region. In 1937, five rabbis were assassinated, many others were sent into exile, and the only remaining spiritual leader of the community, Rabbi Noah Ilyaguyev, died in 1994. Although his son reads the Torah during the synagogue service, he is not qualified to be a rabbi. / There are only 6,000 Jews in Kuba now [1999]. Many Jews have left for the United States and Israel, but emigration has slowed down recently. There is one active synagogue and another one is being repaired." Source (no longer available) http://www.yated.com/ancient.htm [September 2002]
"The two most famous Baku-born individuals with Jewish blood are the chess world's Gary Kasparov and the music world's Mstislav Rostropovich. Each had a Jewish parent. The pianist Bella Davidovich also hailed from Baku, as did Nobel Prize-winning physicist Lev (Leo) Landau." Source: Hadassah Magazine October 1999 For a copy of the article contact Dorothy Silfen, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. [September 2002]
Quba, Red Village [Dec 2017]