A big weeklong festival celebrating Bukharian Jewish culture and heritage in North America, conceived by Rafael Nektalov, is slated to take place from September 15th to September 22nd in Queens.
The festival will commemorate several milestones: the 60th anniversary of the Bukharian Jewish Community Center, the 25th anniversary of Bukharian Jewish Congress of the USA and Canada, the 25th anniversary of Bukharian women’s organization Esther -a-Malka, publisher of the magazine «Ladies’ World,» and the 20th anniversary of the charitable foundation named after Eduard Nektalov.
I spoke with the president of Esther-a-Malka, editor-in-chief of the «Ladies’ World» magazine Dr. Zoya Maksumova, M.D., a radiologist by day, to glean more insights into the significance of these milestones, the planned events for the festival, and the pivotal role of women in promulgating and preserving Bukharian Jewish culture.
Erin Levi: Can you tell us about the role you’re playing in the Bukharian Jewish Culture Week this year?
Dr. Zoya Maksumova: Our women’s organization will be actively involved throughout the festival. We are excited to kick off the week with our «Person of the Year» competition, which celebrates both the 25th anniversary of our magazine, Ladies’ World, and our organization Esther -a-Malka within the Congress of Bukharian Jews of the USA and Canada.
Additionally, we will participate in all the cultural events spanning the week: the Boris Kimyagarov Film Festival, the exhibition of artists in our community, sessions on the secrets of Bukharian Jewish cuisine and traditions, and the tradition of women’s singing and dancing. We’re also looking forward to the master class by People’s Artist of Uzbekistan Ezra Malakov.
The festival’s diverse program, in my opinion, is an excellent opportunity for our group, with their families, to engage with the community and attend all these rich cultural, educational, and informative events.
EL: What else are you excited about?
ZM: I’m particularly thrilled about the breadth of activities planned for the «Week of Bukharian Jewish Culture and Art in America.» This is a new series of events coming soon in September, marking a slew of significant anniversaries within our community. The festival program is extensive. It will last one week, and I think all readers are already familiar with the program from community newspapers and magazines.
I am elated that the festival begins with our magazine’s «Person of the Year 2024» international competition on September 15th, the start of a cascade of events that celebrate our community’s achievements and contributions in America.
Let me remind you that Ladies’ World has been holding the «Woman of the Year,» «Outstanding Mother» and «Person of the Year» competitions since 2002. These are bright and important events in our public and cultural life, honoring the best representatives of the communities of America, Israel, Austria and Uzbekistan. We are now experiencing one of the turning points in Jewish history, and therefore the competition in these difficult times is also special.
This time, the focus of our organization is again on the outstanding representatives of our ethnic group, worthy of being singled out from the crowd. The winners of the upcoming «Person of the Year – 2024» competition will be determined by today’s reality — volunteer enthusiasts and generous sponsors-philanthropists have been given the fate and the opportunity to show themselves and their civic position to the fullest extent.
For the past 10 months – since October 7, 2023 – a period of incredible solidarity and interaction has begun for all of us – we have united in our desire to help Israel and the Israeli army, as I have repeatedly informed you, dear readers, in my columns about all our unprecedented volunteer actions: these are fundraisers (both donations and collections from charity events) for ammunition, body armor, tents and delicious food for Israeli soldiers; spiritual events (prayers, hala-parties, tehilim classes, etc.) to help Israel at the level of appealing to the Almighty; and the fight against antisemitism and many other manifestations of support and solidarity with the Israeli people.
And we could not fail to pay attention to all these people and organizations that tirelessly help. Of course, they do not do this for recognition, awards, or even expect «thank you» for their civic position and help—their help is selfless, their motives are conditioned by deep patriotism, a heightened sense of justice and solidarity, elementary indifference and a great heart. As long as the hearts of volunteers, benefactors and donors beat—the Israeli people also beat.
And despite the fact that all these organizations and individuals of our, and not only our community, who tirelessly help and pray for Israel, do it selflessly and with a pure heart (they consider it an honor to be involved in helping the Israeli army and the Israeli people in such a difficult time for him), not expecting gratitude, we still decided that people should know those who help, who did not stand aside, who not in words, but in deeds made a personal significant contribution to helping Israel, bringing it closer to victory.
Therefore, this year we offer three nomination categories: 1. Charity; 2. Heroic deed; 3. No to antisemitism!
The call for nominations closes soon. Send applications and recommendations in writing (no more than 200 words) to ladiesworld@gmail.com no later than August 5th.
EL: How do you think the festival helps in preserving and promoting Bukharian Jewish heritage in America, and in what ways do women play a vital role in Bukharian culture?
ZM: In my opinion, the role of women in promoting Bukharian Jewish heritage in America is very significant. Since women are energetically very strong and energetically more connected to their children, (I would say stronger than men), everything they bring in terms of tradition and our cultural heritage, everything penetrates very deeply into the hearts and minds of young people.
In this case, the week of Bukharian culture will undoubtedly help to further promote Bukharian Jewish heritage, and therefore I invite our entire community to visit every event held within the framework of this festival. Every day of this festival is something new, interesting, informative, and connected to both history and modernity. Such a large-scale festival is being held for the first time in our community, and I believe that this is a great start for the cultural development of our community.
EL: Have you been involved with any previous Bukharian Jewish festivals?
ZM: Yes, in New York, Israel, and Austria.
EL: Can you tell me more about your role as the director of the Women’s Division at the Bukharian Congress of USA and Canada?
ZM: On May 1-2, 1999, the Founding Congress of the Congress of Bukharian Jews of the USA and Canada took place, at which Boris Kandov was elected president. It was an amazing time when we, Bukharian Jews, were creating our own history in a new country, where we arrived as immigrants from different regions of Central Asia. In short, a fateful event took place at the highest level. The divisions of the Congress were approved, including the women’s association, which later received the name Esther-a-Malka. I was unanimously elected as president.
At the end of the same year, we initiated the publication of the world’s first magazine dedicated to Bukharian Jewish women. The magazine has become a mouthpiece for the highest traditional and moral ideas that our women should possess. Then we began to hold «Woman of the Year» contests, the first of which was held in 2002.
Over time, these competitions have grown into international ones, and they were all aimed at maximizing the authority of Bukharian Jewish women, showing the world the integrity of their nature, devotion to family, and hard work …
Ladies’ World has its own «Guest Room,» which was previously located in the Bukharian Jewish Community Center where meetings with interesting people and specialists from various fields of knowledge were held. Over time, all this activity was taken over by the magazine, through which we can outreach more people and convey more information to a larger number of people. In the past few years, the Ladies’ World Guest Room has moved from a room to a «Guest Room on Wheels» and we organize very popular tourist trips with highly educated guides who introduce our community to the country of America and abroad.
EL: From one editor to another, tell me, how it was to work with the Bukharian Times on this project?
ZM: Any community event is best conducted together, drawing ideas from one another. We scheduled our event «Person of the Year 2024» for Sunday, September 15th. This date was chosen at the request of the nominees and guests from Israel so they could return in time for the Jewish holidays. Exactly one week later, also on a Sunday, September 22nd, we planned the celebration of our Center’s anniversary. At our meeting, attended by Congress President Boris Kandov, BJCC President Leon Nektalov, and Bukharian Times editor-in-chief, Rafael Nektalov proposed the excellent idea to make the entire week between these two important events a festival. We would start with «Person of the Year 2024» and conclude with the BJCC’s anniversary celebration, with a weeklong festival for our community, celebrating its culture, traditions, and art, in between. I liked this idea, and this is how it was born.
All information about the upcoming wonderful events of this September week—before, during, and after—is widely published in our media outlets. I believe our readers are paying attention to these announcements and will actively participate in all the festive days. This is a great opportunity for all of us to be together again, rejoice for our people, thank those who help Israel, and congratulate all the organizations that are celebrating their anniversaries during this time.
EL: Indeed. Thank you for your precious time, Dr. Zoya. I look forward to celebrating with you in September!
Erin Levi