Rabbi shows interfaith relations in Azerbaijan at Religious Freedom Forum on Capitol Hill

ByJERUSALEM POST STAFFJULY 21, 2026 16:16Updated: JULY 21, 2026 16:31Rabbi Zamir Isayev, head of Baku’s Sephardi Jewish community, described religious life in Azerbaijan at a religious freedom forum held on Capitol Hill.Isayev appeared alongside Pastor Rasim Khalilov, chairman of the Azerbaijan Bible Society and head of the country’s Protestant community, at an event organized by the IRF Secretariat.The forum brought together religious leaders and delegates from around the world, as well as US officials, senators and political figures.Ahead of the event, Isayev and Khalilov also met with Eric Trump, the son of US President Donald Trump. According to Isayev, Trump expressed interest in strengthening ties between Washington and Baku and described Azerbaijan as a friend of the United States and a strategic partner of Israel.The appearance of a rabbi and a Protestant pastor representing a Muslim-majority country highlighted the role of religious minority communities in Azerbaijan.STREET LIFE in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, at night time. (credit: NATI SHOHAT/FLASH90)Religious identity and national loyaltyIn his address, Isayev argued that religious tolerance should be measured not only through legislation and official declarations, but by whether minority communities are able to maintain their institutions and practice their faith openly.While many countries formally express a commitment to tolerance, he said, religious minorities are not always adequately protected in practice.Isayev contrasted Jewish life in Azerbaijan with the insecurity experienced by Jewish communities in parts of Europe, arguing that Jews in Azerbaijan are able to express both their religious identity and their loyalty to the country without facing accusations of divided allegiance.“A person should not have to choose between religious identity and loyalty to the country,” Isayev said.“A Muslim should not become less Muslim by respecting a synagogue. A Jew should not become less Jewish by loving and serving his country. A Christian should not have to choose between devotion to faith and national identity.”According to Isayev, Azerbaijan has developed a model in which religious identity and national loyalty are not treated as competing commitments.Coexistence in Azerbaijan“I lead the Sephardi Jewish community in Baku,” he said. “Our synagogue, school, kindergarten, mikveh, kosher services and rabbinical court all operate openly and freely.”Jewish children in Baku, he added, study Hebrew, Torah, Jewish history and tradition while also receiving a modern education and growing up as citizens of Azerbaijan.Isayev illustrated that model with an example from daily life in Baku.“Across from the synagogue where I pray, there is an old mosque,” he said. “Sometimes, when I meet its imam, I greet him in Arabic: ‘Assalamu alaikum.’ And he answers me in Hebrew: ‘Boker tov.’“That small exchange reflects something much larger. Coexistence is not only discussed at conferences. It is part of our daily life.”Organizers said the presentations by Isayev and Khalilov, as well as discussions held on the sidelines of the forum, led to further discussions about religious minority life in Azerbaijan and the country’s broader relationship with the United States and Israel.The discussions also addressed the planned Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, known as TRIPP, a proposed corridor through Armenia linking mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave and Turkey. The project is also expected to strengthen broader transport links between Central Asia and Europe.Participants also discussed calls to repeal Section 907 of the US Freedom Support Act, which restricts certain forms of direct American assistance to the Azerbaijani government, subject to a presidential waiver.Supporters of its repeal argue that the provision has constrained deeper US engagement with Azerbaijan at a time when Washington is seeking to expand its role in a region historically influenced by Russia and Iran.Follow us on Google