Eating out at a restaurant is one of the most popular ways of celebrating events, bringing friends or family together, or simply choosing to leave the kitchen and enjoy a meal cooked by someone else. It is a symbol of prosperity and community. While in many locations across the globe Jewish life has become unsafe, in Azerbaijan despite its Muslim majority, the Jewish community lives peacefully and a new kosher restaurant is welcome.

The very first kosher restaurant in Azerbaijan opened in Baku on Tuesday. This is a monumental event for the Jewish community in the region, marking how far the community has come since the crushing days of the Soviet Regime. The dishes served, will combine touches from the Azari kitchen alongside Jewish and Israeli dishes.

The opening ceremony began with the Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mr. Dan Stav, cutting the ceremonial ribbon and the Rabbi to the Baku Jewish community, Rabbi Shneur Segal, attaching the Mezuzah to the doorpost.

The ceremony continued with a gala dinner at which Rabbi Shneur Segal gave the restaurant its kosher certification and spoke about how Azerbaijan serves as a role model for coexistence and peace.

The event was attended by the Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar, and the Director of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, Mr. Mikhail Mirilashvili, along with the rest of the EAJC delegation visiting Baku.