The education of children has a significant impact on the character of the adults they will become. Therefore, it is not surprising that most citizens of Muslim countries, such as Iraq, Morocco, Yemen, and Egypt, harbor deep feelings of hatred towards Jews and the State of Israel. Almost all Arab and Muslim countries include antisemitic and anti-Israel content in their school curricula. Since very few, if any, Jews live in most Arab and Muslim countries, students—meaning both children and teenagers—are only familiar with portrayals of Jews from their school curriculum.
Even in countries where Jews still live, such as Iran, Morocco, and Tunisia, there is significant hatred of Israelis and heavy antisemitism. From this, we can understand how powerful the impact of early antisemitic education is. However, there is one country in the Muslim world that not only does not educate its students to hate Jews and Israel but actively teaches them to accept everyone, including Jews, and even teaches about the Holocaust.
Azerbaijan has done what no Muslim country has ever done—it ignored anti-Jewish narratives in the Quran and did not present Israel as an apartheid state. IMPACT-SE, an organization that monitors how various countries educate for tolerance, conducted a new study titled “Israel and Jews in Azerbaijani Education”, which examines Azerbaijani textbooks’ approaches to Jews and Israel. The study aims to assess the tolerance and acceptance of Jews in Azerbaijani education and to analyze the changes in the representation of Israel in Azerbaijan’s school curriculum.
First, Azerbaijan’s curriculum presents the Jews of Azerbaijan as an integral and inseparable part of the country, and Judaism is recognized as one of Azerbaijan’s religions alongside Islam and Christianity. According to the US State Department, 96 percent of the population is Muslim, of which approximately 65 percent is Shia and 35 percent Sunni. Groups that together constitute the remaining 4 percent of the population include the Russian Orthodox Church; Georgian Orthodox Church; Armenian Apostolic Church; Seventh-day Adventists; Molokan Church; Roman Catholic Church; other Christians, including evangelical churches, Baptists, and Jehovah’s Witnesses; Jews; and Baha’is. In schools, there is respect for Judaism, and students are taught about Jewish symbols, beliefs, and places of worship from a young age.
For example, first graders are shown what the Star of David looks like and taught its meaning. The educational goal in teaching young students about Judaism is to instill the understanding that “People of different religions… live in harmony, and treat each other with respect.” The aim of Azerbaijan’s education system is for students to emulate these values. Azerbaijani textbooks even refer to Jews in the same way Jews in the Caucasus refer to themselves—Mountain Jews. The logic behind this term is that Caucasus Jews historically lived primarily in the mountains (of course, in the Caucasus), and thus, the name stuck.
Second, Azerbaijan’s curriculum acknowledges the contributions of Jews to society in Azerbaijan, and their contributions are regarded as significant and worthy of praise. For example, the curriculum teaches about Azerbaijani war hero Albert Akaronov, a Jewish Azerbaijani—referred to in textbooks as a “Mountain Jew”—who fought in the First Karabakh War and demonstrated extraordinary courage in the battle for Shusha in 1992, where he was killed. Akaronov was posthumously awarded the title “National Hero” of Azerbaijan for his contribution to the military struggle, the highest and most honored military decoration in Azerbaijan. In the study on Azerbaijan’s curriculum, it was explained that “the reference to a Jew as a ‘National Hero’ indicates a sense of unity and mutual respect, highlighting the role of diversity in shaping Azerbaijan’s national identity”.
Third, Azerbaijan’s curriculum avoids teaching Islamist narratives that tend to portray Jews in a negative light. For instance, Azerbaijan is the only Muslim country that does not teach about the conflict between the Prophet Muhammad and the “Jewish Arabian tribes” in Medina. In this conflict, Muhammad sought to convert the Jewish tribes of Medina to Islam, and when they refused, he decided to expel them, kill the men, and enslave the women and children. This Islamic story portrays Jews as ungrateful and humiliated and permits Muslims to treat Jews as they wish. It is good that Azerbaijan does not teach this topic. Additionally, Azerbaijan’s curriculum teaches about the Crusades in Jerusalem and presents Jews and Muslims as having suffered together under the Christian conquerors.
Another area where Azerbaijan’s curriculum breaks from norms in the Arab world is the accurate transmission of information to students about the Holocaust and anti-semitism in general. First and foremost, Azerbaijan is the first Muslim country in history to include a formal definition of anti-semitism in its curriculum, clearly explaining what it is. Beyond that, students in Azerbaijan learn about various points in history where Jews suffered from anti-semitism as part of their history education. As a result, Azerbaijani students are taught about the pogroms against Jews during Tsarist Russia, Nazi Germany, and the Dreyfus Affair.
In the latter case, Azerbaijani 11th graders are exposed to the full text of “J’Accuse!” written by Emile Zola, in which he condemns the injustice shown to Alfred Dreyfus. Some of this content is not even included in Israel’s curriculum, and 11th graders in Azerbaijan read the complete letter, which includes the following text: “It is my duty to speak. I don’t want to be an accomplice to the crime. Or my nights can’t get rid of the image of an innocent man suffering the most terrible tortures for a crime he didn’t work on. … The disease of injustice that afflicts France will show itself… Dreyfus … was a victim of the ‘bad Jew’ hunt of the church conditions. This event is the face of our time”. According to the study, the presentation of Zola’s letter and words promotes “critical thinking about fairness, the importance of evidence in justice, and the broader implications of prejudice, offering lessons that remain relevant across cultures and eras”.
As noted, Azerbaijan’s curriculum also covers Nazi Germany and the Holocaust experienced by the Jewish people. First, Azerbaijan clearly defines the Holocaust as “genocide against the Jews,” in which 6 million Jews were massacred in the worst genocide in human history. The curriculum does not spare the Azerbaijani students any details, teaching them about the systematic atrocities committed by the Nazi regime, including concentration and extermination camps (with images shown to students), horrific medical experiments, the denial of citizenship and rights to Jews, and organized pogroms.
Azerbaijani students also learn about the Holocaust indirectly, through the story of Jews who escaped it and their contributions to humanity afterward, such as Albert Einstein. To connect the Jewish Holocaust with a historical event Azerbaijani students are familiar with, Azerbaijani schools compare the Holocaust with the Khojaly massacre of 1992, which is considered a national tragedy in Azerbaijan. The comparison of the Holocaust with the Khojaly massacre provides a local perspective and nurtures a connection between Azerbaijan’s global and national histories, both of which involve suffering and resilience. While the study points out that teaching about the Holocaust in Azerbaijan lacks a broader understanding of its historical significance and how survivors and their descendants memorialize these painful events, it is undeniable that Azerbaijan is showing a positive trend in teaching Jewish history and presenting Jewish figures.
Regarding the presentation of Israel and teaching about it, Azerbaijan’s curriculum has undergone a significant shift, distinguishing it from other Muslim countries. In the past, Israel was mainly presented in the context of the Israeli-Arab conflict, with criticism directed at it. However, today, there is a noticeable trend towards a more positive and balanced approach. “In the most recent editions of textbooks, negative references to Zionism have been removed, and there is an emphasis on the serious consequences of Palestinian terrorism.” Since the 2024 curriculum was introduced, terms like “occupied” have been replaced with “captured”” about “Palestinian territories under Israeli control.”
Additionally, today’s Azerbaijani textbooks refrain from identifying Zionism as a form of racism. Instead, Azerbaijan’s curriculum acknowledges Israel as a legitimate state and presents it respectfully on maps, unlike most Arab countries that either ignore Israel’s existence or label its territory on maps as “the Zionist entity” or “Occupied Palestine.” Textbooks also mention the Balfour Declaration and the UN Partition Plan of 1947, which are Israel’s references for international legitimacy in its establishment, showing that Azerbaijanis wholeheartedly intend to present Israel as a legitimate state in the world and the Middle East.
Moreover, Azerbaijan’s curriculum emphasizes Israel’s peace efforts, with “the latest editions (of textbooks) reflecting a shift towards a more favorable stance towards Israel, addressing past omissions and fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the Israeli-Arab conflict.” Textbooks feature a photo of Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat signing the Washington Agreement to highlight Israel’s peace efforts with the Palestinians. In addition to teaching about Israel, Azerbaijan’s curriculum addresses Palestinian terrorism against Israel and the Jewish people and its impact on Israel and the international community. The 2024 edition of the curriculum defines the actions of armed Palestinian organizations, such as Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, as terrorism, emphasizing the negative global impact of Palestinian terrorism.
Beyond the Israeli-Arab (or Israeli-Palestinian) conflict, Azerbaijan’s curriculum also discusses Israel in the context of its cooperation with Azerbaijan in various fields. For example, “the inclusion of Israel’s agricultural achievements in the geography curriculum for 11th graders in Azerbaijan highlights the importance of innovation and efficiency in addressing environmental challenges, presenting Israel as a model for students to emulate.” The study notes that “Israel has established a farm in the Arava Desert, where there is no water, and the temperature in the summer reaches 40°C during the day and drops to 0°C at night. Flowers growing under these conditions can remain unspoiled for 8 days.” In addition to agriculture, Azerbaijani textbooks note that the Azerbaijani army used drones produced by Turkey and Israel during the Second Karabakh War. “The Azerbaijani army, which fought in the 21st-century war, taught the enemy a military ‘lesson’ in every sense of the word,” and Israeli drones contributed to Azerbaijan’s military success.
In conclusion, Azerbaijan’s curriculum is undergoing a positive change regarding Israel. This change reflects the warming relations between the two countries and their cooperation in various fields. The curriculum teaches pro-Jewish and pro-Israel content, presenting Jews as equal members of Azerbaijani society alongside other religious groups and educating students about anti-semitism and its consequences, such as the Holocaust, the Dreyfus Affair, and pogroms during Tsarist Russia. Azerbaijan is the first Muslim country to implement such reforms in its curriculum, and we must hope that it will not be the last, for it is only through Azerbaijan’s path that we can achieve peace and relative quiet in our region.
Rachel Avraham is the CEO of the Dona Gracia Center for Diplomacy and an Israel-based journalist. She is the author of “Women and Jihad: Debating Palestinian Female Suicide Bombings in the American, Israeli and Arab Media.”
