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Uzbekistan's Jews decry 'tragedy' as Tashkent's Ashkenazi synagogue set to be demolished

Uzbek courts valued the community's compound at approximately £500

July 31, 2020 15:30
Tashkent's Ashkenazi synagogue, founded in 1973
1 min read

The Jewish community in Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent are to be taken to court on August 5 as a property developer seeks to demolish the city’s Ashkenazi synagogue.

In a Facebook post last week, the Jewish Community of Uzbekistan wrote that this year’s Tisha b’Av would be “for the Jewish community of Tashkent not only a day of mourning, but a real tragedy.”

“Despite the promise that no one would ever raise a hand against the synagogue, city authorities have decided to demolish it in order to build a high-rise building,” the community said, adding: “They want to destroy our synagogue!”.

The community posted a photo of a court document from July 10, scheduling a final hearing for August 5 and valuing the community’s compound – and its likely compensation – at approximately £500.