DUSHANBE, April 21, Asia-Plus — A ruling handed down by a court in Dushanbe’s Ismoili Somoni district at the end of last week upheld a lawsuit by the municipal government of the district, seeking relocation of the Dushanbe synagogue, the rabbi of the synagogue, Mikhail Abdurakhmanov, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
According to him, the court did not heed their arguments that “the municipal authorities have failed to produce evidences that this building does not belong to us.” “Moreover, we have repeatedly noted during the trial that the municipal authorities’ decision on relocating the synagogue is in contrary to the country’s law on religion and religious associations,” said the rabbi, “The court also ruled that the municipal authorities are not obliged to offer the Jewish community another plot of land for construction of a new synagogue.”
He added that during a visit to Central Asia’s chief rabbi Abe David Gurevich to Dushanbe in June 2004, an agreement was reached on a location for the construction of a new synagogue in the Tajik capital. “Gurevich noted that time that the conduction of a new synagogue may take place with the help of sponsors,” said Abdurakhmanov. “We have repeatedly got in touch with the Central Asian chief rabbi on this subject, and he said that there are no yet funds for construction of the new synagogue; the synagogue also does not have such funds.”
According to him, they have repeatedly asked the Dushanbe authorities for allotting them not a plot of land but any equivalent building.
“The court decision will take an effect in a month and we intend to appeal to higher judicial bodies,” the rabbi said.
We will recall that the municipal authorities filed the lawsuit seeking relocation of the Dushanbe synagogue on April 11. The synagogue sits on a prime site in the middle of Dushanbe, where a new presidential complex, the Palace of Nations, is being built.
In May 2004, Dushanbe authorities ordered the city”s small Jewish community to vacate the country”s only synagogue by July so its site can be used for a new presidential palace. The rabbi of the synagogue, Mikhail Abdurakhmanov, attempted to persuade the authorities to allow the synagogue to remain, saying that the Jewish community is too small and too poor to build another synagogue. City officials said that allowing the structure to stand would spoil the layout of the new complex, and offered a plot of land for construction of a new synagogue. Tajik officials insist the 100-year-old building has no historic value.
On June 8, 2004, Abe David Gurevich, chief rabbi of Central Asia, reached an agreement with Dushanbe Mayor Mahmadsaid Ubaidulloyev on a location for the construction of a new synagogue in the city. Speaking to reporter after the meeting, Gurevich said the Jewish community had selected a site close to the embankment of the Dushanbinka River. The construction of a new synagogue may take place with the help of funds from sponsors, Gurevich said.
