Michael Tuchin

President

American Israel Public Affairs Committee

Washington, DC

Dear Mr. Tuchin;

Azerbaijani Americans greatly appreciate the visit of the President-elect of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan. This visit underscores the strong and growing relations between Azerbaijan and Israel, which have been marked by mutual respect, cooperation, and shared interests.

As Azerbaijani Americans, we share the hope that this partnership continues to flourish, and we also aspire to see the same level of strong, constructive relations between Azerbaijan and the United States. A robust Azerbaijan-U.S. relationship, built on common values and strategic interests, would benefit both nations and foster greater cooperation on regional and global issues.

I represent the Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA), the first Azerbaijani cultural organization established in the USA in 1957. Founded by our immigrant fathers, our members are now comprised of first- and second-generation community leaders who adhere to strong ethical values and principles of tolerance, respect, empathy and a sincere appreciation for our traditions. Our membership composition has always included people of many different ethnic backgrounds, faiths and nationalities as this is how our founding fathers wanted it to be.

ASA is dedicated to promoting the cultural, historical, and social ties between the United States and Azerbaijan. While ASA primarily focuses on the Azerbaijani community, the presence of Jewish members in our organization reflects Azerbaijan’s diverse and inclusive society.

We welcome all initiatives that promote and strengthen the diplomatic, economic, and cultural connections between Azerbaijan, Israel, and the U.S., ultimately contributing to peace and stability in the broader region.

Azerbaijan is a unique country by many measures, and perhaps the most outstanding uniqueness is that Azerbaijan, 95% Muslim, by both official policy and general public sentiments, that Jewish people are respected and valued.  Jewish communities have traditionally enjoyed peaceful coexistence with their Muslim neighbors. In the United States, members of the Azerbaijani diaspora, including those of Jewish descent, joined ASA to stay connected to their heritage and culture.

Azerbaijan’s record of tolerance towards religious minorities, including Jews, are often highlighted by the government and people of Azerbaijan, especially in contrast to the challenges faced by Jewish communities in other parts of the world. ASA includes Jewish members who are either from Azerbaijan or have cultural ties to the region.

A collaboration between ASA and AIPAC would be a great strategic partnership; in 2009, we organized a very successful conference called “The Jewish Identity in the Turkic World”. Jewish communities from Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Turkiye, came together and talked about common values. The speakers highlighted the centuries-old heritage of Jewish communities in the Turkic societies as an exceptional example of tolerance and peaceful co-existence between the peoples of two different ethnic and religious backgrounds. The educational conference was hosted at the Center for Jewish History and in 2022, the same conference was organized again at the Turkish House in NYC.

Potential Benefits of Collaboration:

Advocacy: Both ASA and AIPAC advocate for strong U.S. support of their respective nations, Azerbaijan and Israel. A partnership could foster mutual support in U.S. foreign policy, particularly in terms of strengthening bilateral ties between the U.S., Azerbaijan.

Cultural and Economic Cooperation: Both organizations could work to promote cultural exchange and economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and US. This could include initiatives aimed at strengthening trade, technology partnerships, and cultural dialogue between the two countries.

We look forward to your positive response. Wishing you a joyful Hanukkah and a prosperous New Year!

Respectfully,

Azerbaijan Society of America