Afghanistan is the last place you’d expect to find any trace of a Jewish past, especially given the Islamization of most of the country over the past two decades by the ruthless Taliban. Yet, up until the assassination of King Nadir Shah in 1933, the country had been remarkably tolerant towards Jews for over a thousand years. Major Afghan cities such as Herat and Kabul were once safe-havens for Jews fleeing persecution in other lands. The Jews of Afghanistan once numbered in the thousands and enjoyed peace and prosperity.
Today there is only one Jew left who still calls Afghanistan home.
The recorded story of the Afghan Jews starts in the 900‘s C.E., two centuries after the country was converted to Islam. This is not because Jews did not live there before that time, but rather that all records which might have proven the existence of a pre-Islamic Jewish community in Afghanistan have been lost. However, there are some Afghan tribes such as the Durrani, Yussafzai, and, most notably, the Pashtun who claim to be one of the Ten Lost Tribes. In the case of the Pashtun, now Afghanistan’s majority ethnic group, one of their tribal legends states that a group called the “Bani Israel” settled near the modern town of Herat and later converted to Islam after their leader met with Mohammed.
Jewish Virtual Library states that some Pashtuns have Jewish sounding names such as Asheri and Naftali, and they practice Jewish customs such as marrying under a chuppah and circumcising their sons eight days after birth. Adding further fuel to the fire, the sensationalist media even published a report a few years ago claiming that the members of the Taliban may be descended from Jews. An Israeli government-funded DNA test found no link at all between Jews and Pashtuns.
A letter in Judeo-Persian dealing with financial and family matters (National Library of Israel)
Some reports mention Persian Jews fleeing the invading Muslims in the 7th and 8th centuries, but actual records attesting to a Jewish presence in Afghanistan date back to the 10th century C.E. These records, found recently in northern Afghan caves, are written in Judeo-Persian and are collectively referred to as the “Afghan Genizah” (a reference to the hugely important Cairo Genizah collection of Jewish documents found over a century ago). The documents show evidence of Jewish commercial activity on the Afghan part of the Silk Road, a vast ancient trade route that stretched from China to the Mediterranean Sea. They also include personal letters, financial records, and rabbinic and Biblical commentary.
At its height in the 1000‘s and 1100‘s, the Jewish population of Afghanistan is estimated to have reached between 40,000 and 80,000 members. Many of them traded in leather and karakul (sheep pelt) and often traveled long distances between Afghanistan, Iran, India, and Central Asia. Oftentimes these trips were dangerous, taking the Jewish merchants along narrow mountain passes in the eastern part of the country where Hebrew and Aramaic prayers can be seen carved in rocks.
Mashiach Gul and Daniel Gul president of Afghan Jewish community in Palestine, 1917
(Israel National Photo Collection)
The Jewish population was decimated by the Mongol invasion of 1222. There was a brief revival in the 1500‘s when Jews once again became prominent in trade between Afghanistan, India, and the Persian Gulf region. However, the trade routes began to decline and most Afghan Jews became impoverished.
In 1839, Muslim authorities were forcibly converting Jews in Persia which resulted in thousands of Persian Jews fleeing to Afghanistan. This brought the Jewish population back up to its former glory of 40,000. The northwestern city of Herat, now the country’s third-largest city became the heart of this new Jewish community. Today there are only four shuls standing in the city, two of which were converted to mosques, one of which is now a school, and the last of which, the Yu Aw shul, became an Islamic cultural center. The former Yu Aw shul still has Hebrew inscriptions on its walls and the remnants of a mikvah are still present. A nearby Jewish cemetery is owned by Arif Mosaee, an Afghan Jew whose family is buried there.
Starting in the late 1800‘s, the situation for Afghan Jews became progressively worse. The Muslim authorities enacted harsh anti-Jewish measures in 1870 triggering a mass emigration to neighboring countries. Pogroms were carried out in the major Jewish centers of Maimana and Herat, and Jews were forced to pay high taxes and serve in the armed forces.
In 1927 the Jewish population had dwindled down to 5,000. The Jews had a brief revival under the rule of King Nadir Shah (1929-33) who reversed many of the decades-old anti-Jewish decrees and gave Jews equal rights as citizens. Disaster struck when the king was assassinated and Nazi propaganda filtered into the country causing more pogroms and the ghettoization of Jews in Herat and Kabul. Harsh economic laws drove many Jews out of the country in the 1930‘s and those who remained were restricted to the cities of Herat, Kabul, and Balkh.
The vast majority of the Jewish population left Afghanistan in the 1960‘s. Most went to Israel while some went to New York and Europe. Today over 1,000 Afghan Jews and their children live in Queens, New York. Sara Aharon’s “From Kabul to Queens” tells the history of Afghan Jewry and struggles of acclimating to U.S. culture.
Jewish life in Afghanistan was similar to that of Persia yet retained some unique customs. Like many other Jewish communities in different parts of the world, the Afghan Jewish community borrowed some customs from its neighbors. Some of these customs included taking off one’s shoes before entering a shul. Community leaders required women to wear a blue burqa (full body cover) in public while Muslim women would wear a white burqa. The design of Afghan shuls was influenced by the architecture of local mosques.
Today there is only one Jew left in Afghanistan. His name is Zablon Simintov and he lives in Kabul. His story has made the rounds in the international media and it is at once tragic and inspiring. Simintov, born in Turkmenistan, lives in the capital city of Kabul on the top floor of Afghanistan’s last functioning shul on Flower Street. He rents out the bottom floor to several businesses including his own, the Balkh Bastan cafe. He used to deal in carpets and antiquities until government officials confiscated his merchandise.
Simintov’s family have all emigrated to Israel and he lives alone in the shul. The shul’s Torah scroll was stolen years ago by the Taliban and the shul is in disrepair. Simintov gets along quite well with his neighbors, all of whom who treat him respectfully.
When asked why he doesn’t want to move to Israel, Simintov responded “Go to Israel? What business do I have there? I won’t let Jewish history die in Afghanistan.”
(Sources: Jewish Virtual Library, Afghanistan Today, The Guardian, Reuters, Jewish Journal, CBS News, Haaretz, “Jewish Communities in Exotic Places” by Ken Blady)
(14) Myriam, October 18, 2020 11:48 AM
The Jews of Meshed
In 1839 there was a dispute between and Jewish woman and a Moslem boy about something and this resulted in their trying to convert all the Jews of Meshed to Islam. Many remained and practiced Judaism secretly and many fled to Afghanistan. The Meshedi Jews who converted were so careful about keeping their Judaism in secret that there was a very intense love between those Jews and till today they are still extremely strict on marrying only other Meshedi's. Many years ago (about 30) I knew of one Meshedi girl here in NY who married an Ashkenazi and the community viewed it almost as intermarriage.
(13) Mohammad N Shahzada, March 4, 2020 5:30 AM
I don't know how true it is but my great great grandpa used to tell me that we came from Israel to Africa to persia to Afghanistan to india...he used to say v r all niftali.
Ra'anan, August 4, 2020 4:49 PM
get a DNA test & see...
if your DNA is Middle Eastern or Iranian
(12) Qelilah Solomon, September 15, 2019 12:33 AM
My DNA
Very interesting. I have Kabul, Afghanistan noted in my DNA. I always thought that is was from the Persian invasion or Assyrian invasion of Israel or Judah. Such an extreme consequence to travel so far to get away from persecution.
This makes it even more obvious to find Jews in central Africa as the Portuguese during their Inquisition proceeded to comprehend.
There is no hand to short to find a peaceful people who are just looking to live like everyone else.
Thank you for this article. This explains a lot.
(11) Stephen, September 14, 2019 2:16 PM
Is there a documentary movie of this history?
We run a Jewish Documentary Film Series and are wondering if there are any films of Afghan Jewish history?
(10) Ra'anan Elozory, September 12, 2019 11:22 PM
Jewish Origins of Pashtuns
A group of Israeli Jews has spent about 3 years online with Pashtuns mostly in Afghanistan & have discovered over 60 (!!!) commonalities shared between Jews & Pashtuns, that's more than shared with any other group in the world. The Pashtun area of settlement ANCIENT CITY NAMES matches the names of described in Tractate Yevamoth as the location of the 10 Exiled Lost Tribes of Israel. There is an Islamic Conquest Tower (forgot what it's called) that is indicative that Pashtuns were FORCED to convert to Islam which they do NOT fully observes when it contradicts their own TRIBAL code of conduct called Pashtunwali. Jewish customs are NOT universal among them, but vary from tribe to tribe & region to region. Biblical names are more common among them, they have a near-universal dress which is actually a large talith (minus tzitzith) & they don't consider someone Pashtun if he's not fluent in Pashto. I mention these 3 traits because they are parallel to our praise in Egypt where we retained our names, dress & language!!!!!!!!!! Some Pashtun have PARTIAL Ashkenazi DNA, especially those of the Khattak tribe. (Y)Ishma'el forced them into Islam & now they are "forcing" them out by demanding those Pashtuns who've converted to Wahabi Taliban Islam fight against their fellow Pashtuns who've NOT converted to that brand. Blood is thicker than water & a rebellion has begun. Part of them are interested in returning to what they were BEFORE Islam...Bani Israel. Note, IRANIANS are fighting this tooth & nail w/disinformation. Other points of interest, there is a great similarity between Yemenite Jewish jewelry & SOME Pashtun jewelry. Some Pashtuns have amulets written in Pashto "Shemo Ysrael!!!" I've heard of OLDER cases of amulets written in Ashurith HEBREW, but that was 40 years ago. Their Jewish origins are extremely controversial among themselves because of DISINFORMATION.
(9) zvi freund, August 14, 2018 1:39 PM
gemara mentions kabul
the gemara in megillah mentions that a certain amora visited Kabul and told the metargam how to translate bereishis 35:22.
Anonymous, August 4, 2020 4:50 PM
I think that...
that's a DIFFERENT "Kabul" that's actually located in northern Israel.
(8) Beatrice, January 19, 2017 6:10 AM
pashtunwali similarity
The Pashtun's code of behavior, Pashtunwali, while i many respects different from Torah prescripted behavior, has some similarities, even that it is very spelled out., interesting. Their language also has some similarities to Hebrew.
(7) Ilyas, November 17, 2015 5:02 AM
Good story please post more I want to know more about the history of Jews in my country
(6) Anonymous, September 12, 2014 3:14 PM
Isis must be destroyed , same as Hamas and a few more
The story of the Jewish people in all the other Arab or Muslim countries, comes to the same ...people on the street could be nice ,some are hypocrite. But at the end the extreme religious are the one that influence the regime and destroyed the life of all foreigners specially the Jews...Look at Egypt ,Syria, Lebanon et many other Muslim countries did the same....Israel is the best destination and the safe ones for now are Canada ,Australia, Russia and the USA...The rest are a lost case done and occupied soon by Islam..
Good luck brother..
(5) Rafael, September 11, 2014 8:36 PM
I won't let Jewish history die in Afghanistan
Simintov's statement about not leaving Afghanistan is deep and far reaching into the Jewish manifest. If Jews remain a presence in every nation , they could better influence political and social inclinations of many nations. The Rothchilds diversified their nationalities and became far more powerful. The development of a Jewish multinational matrix is far more efficient.
Jews should come in different colors and spread the wisdom of YHVH in all languages without the distasteful ideology of an elite race or bloodline.
I think all Jews no what it's like to be thought of as an inferior race. I salute my enlightened Afghani Jewish friend.
ROSENDO J. GAMBOA, September 15, 2014 3:00 PM
WE DO COME IN DIFFRENT COLORS.....
A STUDY OF HISTORY WILL SHOW THAT A HUGE POPULATION OF THE WESTERN HEMISPERE WAS SETTLED BY JEWS KICKED OUT OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAUL DURINGING THE (SPANISH CATHOLIC) INQUISITION STARTED BY QUEEN ISABELLA OF SPAIN WHO WAS AUTRIAN NOT SPANISH ( SAME PLACE HITLER CAME FROM)
shimon Pashtun, May 29, 2015 4:55 PM
there is no such thing as jew in Afghanistan
There is no Jews in Afghanistan we afghans are mix of Greek Persians and Turks not Jews its just a theory especially we Pashtuns nothing to do with Jews long live Palestine and we are mix people some of us are white and some of us brown
Dina, March 4, 2016 3:22 AM
Yes there were Jews in Afghanistan
There were Jews in Afghanistan and have met families in the past. Remember that this is a religion and not a race so these people came from other areas 2 to 3 thousand years ago and made their home in Herat and Kandahar and ofcourse throughout the years generations were born there where some moved to Kabul. As far as the Pashtuns thinking they are from the tribe is false as its been checked out through DNA. Bottom line yes they did exist just like the the Sikhs and hindu's that migrated generations ago from India . Afghans are not a race but a melting pot of many races which included the Jews as well.
Anonymous, August 4, 2020 4:59 PM
actually, DNA SUPPORTS Pashtuns' Jewish origin...
with some DNA being closest to ASHKENAZIM! I believe that 2 such Pashtun tribes had that, one being Afridi & they other being KHATTAK, which I think had the strongest genetic connection.
Pashtuns also claim lineage from Benjamin, son of Jacob, & since Benjamin was almost decimated by fellow Jewish tribes in Israel, there were WAY MORE WOMEN than men, so men from the other 11 tribes married the Benjamite women, so IF they maintained their Benjamite heritage, their genes would be most mixed. Also, 2 of Jacob's wives, Bilhah & Zilpah, were actually former SLAVES, so they probably did NOT have Semitic DNA.
I AM holding my breath over Pashtuns because out of the 31 peoples in Central Asia, they territory of the Assyrian Exile of the Lost Ten Tribes, nobody else comes CLOSE to them as far as commonalities with the Jewish people.
Anonymous, August 4, 2020 5:03 PM
we found that usually when someone would make claims that Pashtuns
are NOT related to Jews that they were actually IRANIAN SHI'ITES getting upset w/the idea.
Dvirah, September 13, 2019 8:37 AM
No Manifest Without Identity
Without an "elite" - read "unique" - encompassing identity, as enshrined in bloodline according to Jewish law, Jews as such would cease to exist and the wisdom you extole would be lost.
(4) Anonymous, September 11, 2014 5:50 PM
Summer spent in Kabul
I spent the summer of 1976 living with a Jewish family in Kabul. The community was highly regarded by their Moslem and Hindu neighbors. I was walking with a Jewish friend and was extended unsolicited credit by a merchant when I didn't have cash with me as soon as he noticed that my friend is Jewish. visually speaking, there were emigrants from Iran/ Herat and those who bore freckles and red hair from some Russian Asian city [Tashkent?]. I was universally accepted by my Moslem and Hindu friends who were related to my friends in NYC.
(3) Anonymous, September 11, 2014 5:33 PM
Sad
While the history of a declining presence of Jews in Afghanistan is sad, recounting the history helps to counter the myth that Jews lived alongside their Arab/Muslim neighbors peacefully up until 1947 and the creation of Israel.
(2) HPMenkis, September 11, 2014 4:10 PM
Amazing but sad
My family is of diaspora origins so I don't know what else to say.
(1) Michael, September 11, 2014 3:10 PM
There are stories in the Gemara of armoraim visiting Kabul. It's must be over 2000 years that Jews are there
Anonymous, August 4, 2020 5:01 PM
I believe THAT "Kabul" was in...
northern Israel, where it remains until today.