Jacob Nasirov is a prominent
Bukharian rabbi residing in
Jamaica Estates, Queens
Jamaica Estates is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. Jamaica Estates is part of Queens Community District 8 and located in the northern portion of Jamaica. It is bounded by Union Turnpike to the north, Hillside Avenue to t ...
, New York. His family originated in
Bukhara and immigrated to Afghanistan in 1932. At age 5, his family made ''
aliyah'' to Israel. After serving in the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branch ...
and working for a few years, in 1980 he was called to serve as the hazan and rabbi of Anshei Shalom synagogue, the only Afghan-Jewish congregation in the United States. He is currently the Rabbi of Congregation Bet-El - Sephardic Center of Jamaica Estates. Nasirov was at one time a kosher certifier of restaurants, but he is no longer involved in this.
Sources
* Lee, Felicia R. "Coping: Afghan Jews Look Back in Sorrow" New York Times Dec. 30, 2001
* Pomerance, Rachel "Because 'Jews are news,' feuding Afghans make CNN" Jewish Telegraphic Agency Dec. 14, 2001
Bio on Synagogue website
Living people
Bukharan rabbis
American Orthodox rabbis
Religious leaders from Queens, New York
Israeli emigrants to the United States
Year of birth missing (living people)
20th-century American rabbis
21st-century American rabbis
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