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«Krasnaya Sloboda is not just a place on the map. It is living testimony that Jewish culture in the Caucasus spans millennia, and it is our duty to preserve it for future generations.»
German Zakharyaev is one of the most influential figures in the Mountain Jewish community worldwide. Born in 1971 in Krasnaya Sloboda — the only all-Jewish settlement outside of Israel — he grew up in an environment where centuries-old traditions, language, and culture of Mountain Jews were preserved as a living heritage.
His father passed away when German was just seven years old, and this early loss shaped his character — resilient, driven, and deeply connected to his roots. At the age of twenty-one, he moved to Moscow, where he built a successful career in business. However, his true calling turned out to be community service and the preservation of cultural heritage.
In 2001, German Zakharyaev founded the STMEGI International Charitable Foundation for Mountain Jews — an organization that has become the largest institution in the world dedicated to the preservation and development of Mountain Jewish culture. Under the auspices of the foundation, the media portal STMEGI.COM operates, serving as a unique digital encyclopedia and news platform for Mountain Jews worldwide.
One of Zakharyaev’s most significant achievements was his role in the establishment of a new national holiday in Israel: in 2018, the Knesset passed a law recognizing a day of commemoration and celebration for Mountain Jews — an event of historic significance that would have been unthinkable without years of systematic work by STMEGI and its founder.
German Zakharyaev serves as Vice President of the Russian Jewish Congress and continues to play a key role in strengthening ties between Jewish communities in Russia, Azerbaijan, and Israel.
