Mountain Jew in Russia


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Tat People of the Caucasus Region possibly hold both the most complex ethnic history and the most complex present-day changing dynamic of any of the 45 people groups of the North Caucasus. Most experts conclude that the Jewish Tat (also known as Mountain Jews) and the Muslim Tat come from ancient separate origins, but over many centuries both function from the same Tat language. The Tat language is from the Persian family of languages and was originally spoken in southwest Persia (Iran).
The Judeo Tat dialect bases itself on the Tat language with many Hebrew-Jewish words mixed in. Tat Jews/Mountain Jews assert that they were originally Jews from the 10 Northern Tribes who were settled in the Assyrian Empire and eventually began utilizing the local language of the region where they lived. Muslim Tats hail originally from the same region. The situation was further complicated when the Soviets further complicated the situation when they lumped these two groups together in one designation, due to their commonly-shared language.
Sources indicate that at the peak in the mid-20th Century there may have been at least 50,000 Tat Jews in Dagestan and 40,000 in Azerbaijan. For example, in the highlands west of Derbent in southern Dagestan, in the 19th-Century era, eight sizeable Jewish Tat villages flourished. Massive emigration to Israel by Tat Jews from both countries has picked up pace in the 1980s and 90s—leaving present estimates of Jewish Tat populations in the eastern Caucasus at approximately 25% of previous levels.
For the Jewish Tat, a slow-moving Bible translation project has been led by one faithful woman (now living in Israel). Genesis and Ruth were translated over 20 years and now the Gospel of Matthew is mostly finished. Most joyfully, in the past five years there are reports of major breakthroughs for Jesus in a circle of clans in Muslim Tat villages in northern Azerbaijan. Approximately 30 Tat people in the region have come to Jesus.


Where Are they Located?

At the peak in the mid-20th Century there may have been at least 50,000 Tat Jews in Dagestan and 40,000 in Azerbaijan. Massive emigration to Israel by Tat Jews from both countries picked up pace in the 1980s and 90s—leaving present estimates of Jewish Tat populations in the eastern Caucasus at such a low level one wonders if they still live there. You are more likely to find them in Azerbaijan or Israel. One fourth of them live in Brooklyn, New York, and about half now live in Israel. There are also smaller numbers in Canada.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Mountain Jews work in agricultural and cattle-breeding. They live in houses made of limestone blocks or river shingles. The property usually contains a wall or fenced yard, garden, stable, and hen-house.


What Are Their Beliefs?

They practice Judaism.


What Are Their Needs?

The Mountain Jews need loving workers to share the gospel in the Judeo-Tat language and within their culture.


Prayer Points

Pray for the active team on the Judeo-Tat Bible translation and for additional team members as well as the distribution of the available Judeo-Tat JESUS Film.
Pray for the new believers among the Tats of Azerbaijan to abound in the fruit of the Spirit and in fruitfulness among their family and friends. May their influence even reach across borders.
Pray for the Lord of the Harvest to continue to send the right servants at the right time into relationships in Tat culture in Dagestan, Moscow, Israel, the U.S., and Iran.
Pray for the establishment of an indigenous and reproducing church among the Mountain Jews and Tat peoples.


Scripture Prayers for the Jewish Tat, Mountain Jew in Russia.


References

http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/issue/day/2018/03/14
http://wikipedia/Mountain Jew


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

Additional Info
Global Prayer Digest: 2013-03-10
Global Prayer Digest: 2018-03-14
People Name General Jewish Tat, Mountain Jews
People Name in Country Jewish Tat, Mountain Jew
Natural Name Mountain Jew
Pronunciation MOUN-ten joo
Alternate Names Bik; Caucasian Mountain Jew; Jewish; Judeo-Tatic; Juhuri; Mountain Jews; Tat
Population this Country 500
Population all Countries 105,000
Total Countries 5
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 10839
ROP3 Code 116827
Country Russia
Region Europe, Eastern and Eurasia
Continent Asia
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Dagestan Republic: Makhachkala, Majalis, Derbent, Buinaksk, and Kizlyar, south of Pyatigorsk; North Ossetia-Alania, Mozdok; Kabardino-Balkariya Republic, Nalchyk; Chechnya Republic, Grozniy.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Russia
Region Europe, Eastern and Eurasia
Continent Asia
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Dagestan Republic: Makhachkala, Majalis, Derbent, Buinaksk, and Kizlyar, south of Pyatigorsk; North Ossetia-Alania, Mozdok; Kabardino-Balkariya Republic, Nalchyk; Chechnya Republic, Grozniy..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Religion Subdivision: Judaism
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
85.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
15.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Judeo-Tat (500 speakers)
Language Code jdt   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Judeo-Tat (500 speakers)
Language Code jdt   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Judeo-Tat

Primary Language:  Judeo-Tat

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2000)
Bible-New Testament No
Bible-Complete No
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Judeo-Tat Jesus Film Project
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source Adam Jones - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source Withheld by request   Copyrighted ©   Used with permission
Profile Source Joshua Project  
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.