Seattle Leaders Witness Jewish Resilience on National Mission to Azerbaijan

Rachel Blum with Eric Fingerhut, President and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America.

Written by Ben Berman, April 29, 2025

Earlier this month, three members of our Seattle Federation community — Naomi Alhadeff, Andrea Lott, and Rachel Blum — traveled to Azerbaijan as part of the National Young Leadership Cabinet’s 2025 Study Mission. Naomi and Andrea also serve on our Federation’s Israel & Overseas Committee.

The mission primarily took place in Baku, with a visit to Quba, home to the centuries-old Mountain Jewish community. The journey offered participants a deeper understanding of the strong ties between Israel, Azerbaijan, and the global Jewish community, and how Federations and overseas partners continue to support vibrant Jewish life around the world.

Naomi Alhadeff shares her reflections on the experience below.

Our mission to Azerbaijan, a country at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia bordered by Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, and the Caspian Sea, offered meaningful insights into its rich history and Jewish community. Baku, the capital, felt remarkably safe and clean, blending post-Soviet, European architecture and modern structures, with a beautifully preserved Old City dating back to the 12th century. We learned how Azerbaijan has long served as a safe haven for Jews, with the Jewish community of Quba — established in the 18th century — remaining the region’s oldest surviving Jewish settlement.

Azerbaijan’s national policy is rooted in multiculturalism, religious tolerance, and interfaith harmony, ensuring freedom for all to practice their beliefs. Notably, Azerbaijan also supplies about 40% of Israel’s crude oil, emphasizing a valuable diplomatic partnership built on mutual respect and cooperation.

The architecture of Baku, Azerbaijan.

We saw how the Federation actively supports Jewish diaspora communities here, not only by providing refuge but by caring for vulnerable seniors with essential resources, creating spaces for community, and cultivating a strong Jewish future through education and youth camps that reinforce Jewish pride and identity. Amid regional conflicts, Jews from Ukraine and Russia continue to find temporary sanctuary in Baku while awaiting Aliyah to Israel. It was moving to witness how our community’s support directly sustains Jewish continuity here, while also helping families begin a new life in Israel.

Naomi Alhadeff and Andrea Lott with members of the Azerbaijan Jewish Community who are in the process of making Aliyah to Israel, in partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel.

Ultimately, this journey reminded us how dynamic Jewish communities are around the world—each rich with unique customs and traditions, yet connected by a common thread of ruach, resilience, and shared heritage. We witness while there is variety in how we all express our Jewish identities, collectively our core values never waiver, wherever we are in the world: faith, community, a moral obligation to support those in need, and a commitment to facing challenges together. Globally we are a small, but mighty network.

Our proximity to this unique community and our in-person experiences helped highlight how our giving, and the work it supports, manifests into lasting impact in Jewish lives.

Naomi Alhadeff
National Young Leadership Cabinet
Federation’s Israel & Overseas Committee