By Anna Gustafson
The fact that Bukharian Jews were forced for decades not to study or publish anything about their culture or history while living in the Soviet Union makes it that much more poignant that Queens College will launch a Bukharian class this spring, the course’s instructor said.
“It was my dream to organize a course about Bukharian Jews,” said Imanuel Rybakov, 26, of Rego Park. “We came from the former Soviet Union, and there it was forbidden to study Jewish history. Only when we emigrated here did we start to write books about ourselves, our history.”
The three-credit class, titled “The History and Culture of the Bukharian Jews,” will be offered in the spring 2010 semester and be part of the Jewish studies program at Queens College. Rybakov said he believes the course will help Bukharians to more fully understand their past and introduce non-Bukharians to a population that is fast growing in Queens.
“The students, they like Bukharian culture but they don’t know much about their roots,” said Rybakov, who left his home country of Uzbekistan for Rego Park 10 years ago.
Rybakov is the president of Achdut Unity, a youth organization in Queens; a community activist; a journalist; and an instructor who teachers Bukharian language classes. He graduated with a degree in finance from Queens College.
Bukharian Jews primarily come from Central Asia and, following the breakup of the former Soviet Union, found themselves confronting economic decline and civil unrest. According to the United Jewish Appeal Federation of New York, many of the world’s 250,000 Bukharian Jews left Central Asia for places like Israel and the United States, with some 50,000 now living in Forest Hills and Rego Park. About 1,000 Bukharians study at Queens College.
Bukharians have become increasingly involved in the city’s civic life, and a Bukharian ran for City Council this year for the first time ever — Albert Cohen, an attorney from Forest Hills.
The course could also help to break down barriers between Bukharians and non-Bukharians, Rybakov said.
“This course will help other Americans to understand our culture, traditions and mentality,” he said.
Tensions have surfaced between Bukharians and non-Bukharians in recent years, predominantly because some Forest Hills residents have said they were resentful some Bukharians would tear down smaller Forest Hills homes and build larger ones.
In response to complaints about overdevelopment in the Cord Meyer area of Forest Hills, the City Council passed a rezoning plan that limits a house’s height.
Dina Yusupova, a freshman at Queens College and a Forest Hills resident, said she plans on taking the course next spring.
“I want to take this class because a lot of Bukharian Jewish kids don’t know where we came from, including myself,” said Yusupova, who moved with her family from Uzbekistan to Queens 4 1/2 years ago. “There’s a lot of Bukharian Jewish students at Queens College, and when we heard about the class we were really excited because finally we’ll have a class about Bukharians.”
Reach reporter Anna Gustafson by e-mail at agustafson@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 174.
