Through the Fire We Rise
Life is not always gentle.It can shake us without warning. A dream crumbles. A friendship dissolves. A door that once felt secure suddenly shuts. There are moments that test not just our strength but our identity. We ask why. We ask how long. And sometimes there is only silence. But we are never truly alone.…
Rooted and Rising: A Bukharian Journey in the Modern World
Exploring Identity: Balancing Tradition and Modernity Being Bukharian in Philly feels like living in two timelines at once. There’s the old-world warmth of my roots, the stories I’ve been told, the food I grew up with, and the values passed down without lectures. Then there’s the life I’ve built here, running daycares, taking meetings, and…
Walking in the Footsteps of my Ancestors
Organized by SAMi – Sephardic American Mizrahi Initiative There are no words that could possibly come close to explaining how my trip to Uzbekistan went. Coming from a Bukharian Jewish background, whose ancestors have lived in this region for over 2000 years, and being able to get a gist of what life was like for…
How Did Jews End Up In Bukhara?
It might be quite difficult to summarize ancient history into one blog post, but here goes. (DISCLAIMER: I’m not a historian, I just try to put pieces together. If I make a mistake, or misunderstood something, please reach out to me!) So how did a group of Jews end up in Central Asian cities like…
How Cultural Identity Impacted My Sense of Self
Being a Bukharian Jew growing up in Northeast Philly has had its ups and downs. On one end, I knew I was a part of a culture that is rich with traditions, history, and delicious food. On the other end, I felt nearly isolated because of the lack of people I could connect with culturally.…
Who Am I?
My name is Zack Zav. I am a Bukharian Jew that was born in New York, but raised in Philly. I’m currently in the early childhood education field and I have years of experience to follow. I grew up in a predominantly Russian speaking neighborhood. My parents came to the States from Tashkent, Uzbekistan in…
Through the Fire We Rise
Rooted and Rising: A Bukharian Journey in the Modern World
Walking in the Footsteps of my Ancestors
How Did Jews End Up In Bukhara?
How Cultural Identity Impacted My Sense of Self
Zack Zav
My name is Zack Zav. I am a Bukharian Jew that was born in New York, but raised in Philly. I’m currently in the early childhood education field and I have years of experience to follow.
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