For thirty minutes on a Buenos Aires radio program, two communities that rarely share the same airspace finally found a common frequency. Rafael Nektalov, editor-in-chief of the Bukharian Times, joined Radio Jai’s hosts to speak—in English—about a Jewish world most Argentinians have never heard of.
As someone who speaks Spanish but not Russian, I could actually follow this conversation—and it was exciting to hear this dialogue unfold between two communities, the Argentinian Jewish world and the Bukharian one, that don’t often get to speak directly to each other.
ABOUT RADIO JAI
Radio Jai is a Jewish radio station broadcasting from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Founded in 1992 by Miguel Steuermann—originally from Santiago, Chile—it takes its name from the Spanish spelling of Chai (חי), the Hebrew word for “life.” A fitting detail: the station broadcasts at 96.3 FM, and the digits of that frequency sum to 18, the numerical value of Chai in gematria.
THE CONVERSATION
The host opened by noting something most listeners probably hadn’t considered: in Argentina, Jews are almost always assumed to be either Sephardic or Ashkenazi. There is a third community—smaller, older in some ways, and far less visible. Bukharian Jews.
Nektalov, whose family came from Central Asia, painted a picture of a community that spans the world. He estimates roughly 300,000 Bukharian Jews live today across the United States, Europe, Israel, and—yes—Argentina. Historically, he noted, Bukharian Jews were among the wealthiest merchants in Central Asia. They were also early Zionists: it was Bukharian Jews who built one of the first Jewish quarters in Jerusalem.
WHEN THE HOST ASKED WHY HE CAME TO BUENOS AIRES, NEKTALOV ANSWERED:
“It was my dream to be here. I see what your President Milei is doing for Israel. I must say thank you to Argentina for supporting my Israel.”
He spoke with obvious warmth about Buenos Aires—and with curiosity. Nektalov has written five books about Bukharian Jewish history and culture, but he acknowledged a gap: no one has yet written about the Bukharian Jews of Argentina.
“I know many people who moved from Samarkand, Kokand, and elsewhere to Buenos Aires over the last hundred years. I want to know what they are doing here—how is the cemetery, how is daily life, how is a wedding? This is a very interesting page of Bukharian history that has never been written,” said Nektalov.
He mentioned meeting Pinkhassov, a celebrated Bukharian painter now living in Argentina—a reminder that the community’s presence here is cultural as well as historical.
“Everyone should know that Bukharian Jews have a small page in Argentinian Jewish history. Don’t forget we are here too.”
THE PAPER NOBODY THOUGHT WOULD SURVIVE
Nektalov also spoke about the Bukharian Times, which he founded 33 years ago—coincidentally, the same time Radio Jai was established. When he arrived in New York, his family—legendary diamond merchants on 47th Street—fully expected him to join the trade. He had other ideas.
“NO, I WANT TO DO A NEWSPAPER.”
Everyone thought he was out of his mind. “Loco,” the Radio Jai host said, laughing. “Yes,” Nektalov replied, “like you!”
You can listen to the full interview on YouTube.
By Erin Levi