In Forest Hills, Ancient Traditions Partner
With Modern Media

Central Asian Jews Tap Every Resource To Unite
Their Small Community
By: Francesca Levy

Reporting Contributed by: Claudia Cruz and Cristina Alesci

            Nestled in the Forest Hills section of Queens, a small population of Bukharian, or Central Asian, Jews have kept religion and tradition prominent in their lives. But though they number only 40,000 to 60,000 in the United States, they have produced a crowded media landscape to serve their secluded community’s needs.
            From their ancient dialect to the elaborately embroidered robes they don for religious services, Bukharians embrace customs that can seem archaic to outsiders. But they have developed a sharp sense of media savvy and take great advantage of the web. Seven community newspapers and a handful of well-trafficked websites devote themselves exclusively to Bukharian issues. These tools complement, rather than threaten, the Bukharian way of life.
            Bukharians traveled to the United States from Uzbekistan and nearby countries in waves beginning in the 1930s. Like many new Americans, they brought religious and familial customs from their homeland. The Babylonian-inspired fried foods they eat, mournful flute melodies played in their temples, and native dialect spoken in their religious services – a combination of Farsi, Hebrew, and ancient Aramaic, clash with the creeping influences of modern Western culture. But uniquely, Bukharians have seized some of the very emblems of modernity to protect their religious traditions, which are among the oldest in the world.
            Some of the half-dozen Russian-language community newspapers that Bukharians produce are geared toward Bukharian women, or youth. Some serve only New York, and still others have a web presence and a worldwide readership. It may seem odd that so many media outlets should serve such a small and tightly concentrated group, one that, according to a common Bukharian joke, consists largely of blood relatives.
            “All of the Bukharian Jews are relatives,” says Rabbi Itzhak Yehoshua, the chief Rabbi of Bukharian Jews in North America. “All of them.” But, the Rabbi explains, the newspapers are the glue that binds this extended family.
            “The Bukharians are family-oriented,” he says. “So it’s important to know who got married, who died.” The community also relies on these papers to advertise catering services for the many religious feasts they hold, raise the profile of local businesses, and encourage Bukharian dating and marriage.           
            Rabbi Yehoshua explains that Bukharian customs are difficult to uphold in urban America.
            “One challenge we are dealing with is that the family structure is under a lot of stress in America,” he says. “The relation ship between parent and child, parent and educator is under a lot of pressure.” The Rabbinical Council promotes early marriage and discourages dating outside the community. Passing down these traditional values to a new, American-identified generation is the Rabbi’s challenge.
            Ester H., a Bukharian 17-year-old who declined to give her full last name, conveys the mix of modern urban sensibilities and deference to custom common to Bukharian youth.
            “Even if we don’t always do what we’re supposed to, we show respect,” she said, adding that in one way, she plans to flout tradition. “Honestly, I don’t really care about marrying a Bukharian.”
            “It’s definitely a different ball game when they’re American-born,” he says. Newspapers like Druzbah and the Bukharian Times help reinforce the role of tradition in families. The Bukharian Times prints articles on Jewish education, Central Asia, and Israel, and columns like “Ask a Rabbi.”
            Rafael Nektalov, editor-in-chief of the Bukharian Times, says that his newspaper helps uphold the Bukharian cultural fabric.
            “Our community is very strong, very connected,” he says. “I write about this.” Nektalov calls his broadsheet, which has a staff of nine and a circulation of around 10,000, a secular paper. But it sponsors meetings of the local rabbinical council and does not publish on the Sabbath. Thanks to longtime advertisers and a faithful readership, the Bukharian Times is well-read.
            “We are a very popular newspaper,” says Nektalov. “We are very proud.”
            Newspapers like the Times keep many Bukharians connected to their religion, their homeland, and each other. But they may have a limited influence on young adults.
            “The papers are for the older generation,” said Yeva G., 16, a Bukharian who declined to give her last name. Youths in the culture are more likely to seek each other out online than through the synagogue or local papers.
             Sites like Bukharianjews.com, an offshoot of the Bukharian Times, and bjoole.com, offer dating services, entertainment listings and message boards. The social networking website Facebook.com hosts 37 different Bukharian groups.
            “We are all on Facebook,” said Roman Davydov, a 19-year-old Bukharian college student. Many of the Facebook groups speak to the strong sense of tradition that bonds younger Bukharians. Titles like “I Love Bukharian Food,” “Brown Jews of the World, Unite!” and “My Big, Fat, Bukharian Wedding” convey a cultural and religious pride that has not been dulled by American assimilation.           

            Bukharian media stokes civic life and strengthens a tightly-knit community that thrives on connection. But some local papers may eventually broaden their scope beyond Forest Hills.            
            “I saw a show on PBS about American Jews, and there was no mention of Bukharians. Why?” asks Nektalov. “My dream is to have a television channel.”

Long-Time Forest Hills Resident
Reflects on the Bukharians

Q & A With Iris Marcus, Forest Hills Resident

By: Claudia Cruz, Cristina Alesci, and Francesca Levy

Iris Marcus, a 65-year-old Forest Hills resident who describes herself as simply “American,” feels she is representative of the neighborhood’s older population. “I don’t go to the beauty parlor as much as the women in Forest Hills,” she says. “But other than that I’m typical.” Marcus, who has raised three children in her forty-five years in the area, has seen the area through many changes. In the past ten years, an influx of Russians and Bukharians – Central Asian Jews – have made their mark on the district. Marcus describes her perspective on the new immigrants.

(Click image above for an audio slideshow about Bukharian homes in Queens)

We’ve heard that there are some tensions between the Russian Jews and some other groups in Forest Hills.

There’s a big cultural difference. And there’s a big adjustment. The Russians who move here basically are pretty well off, and they build these big ugly houses, and they’re awful. Every time I see the houses I cringe. It’s not fair to say ugly, but in my perspective they are.

I mean maybe, from their perspective, that’s what’s beautiful in Russia. But they’re ostentatious and they’re these giant monstrosities. You can’t miss them. You think it’s a hotel, and then you look twice and it’s a private house. They’re garish, they have horrible fences in front of them. I find them atrocious.

Has the community said anything about this?

Well, I saw a letter recently I think it was in the Daily News, or maybe the Post, saying please put an ordinance so they can’t build these monstrosities.

If you could give me a little bit more color on the clash of the cultures…
           
The Russians are taking over. They’ve taken over on 108th Street, that’s for a long time now, like maybe ten years. Now they’re moving up, and there are a lot of Russians all over the place. And I have always found them to be fairly obnoxious and arrogant, and difficult to get along with.

My son, who’s a very handsome guy, married a Russian girl. And she’s just…different. You know what I mean?  And I’m pretty educated  - I know I’m not that biased  - but I don’t care for them particularly.

Where are these people?

I live in a building now were we have a lot of Russians, and they’re higher class, or maybe they’re Mafioso, Russian Mafia or whatever. They’re very nice, they want to get along in the building, they don’t want to fight with anybody, so in that respect it’s OK. But I don’t like when everything changes in the neighborhood, I resent it.

We used to live in Brighton Beach, and there were a lot of Russians there. The women would come in with mink coats and food stamps. And it was very annoying. They knew how to work the system, which we found very aggravating.

So, when you say we, who are you talking about?

Everybody else! And you have to really judge people on an individual basis, you can’t say I hate Russians or I like Russians, you know, but it’s like being invaded. It’s upsetting, as you get older, when things change a lot. You know, all of a sudden you turn around everyone’s speaking Russian. It’s annoying to me. But so are other things.