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Abstract

This paper examines the shifting linguistic landscape within contemporary Mountain Jewish communities, exploring how migration patterns and socio-economic transformations shape language strategies and intergenerational transmission. The study is based on a series of anthropological expeditions conducted in Pyatigorsk, supplemented by field data collected in Moscow, Perm, and Quba (Azerbaijan). This geographic diversity allows for a comparative perspective on how different local contexts—from traditional compact settlements to new urban centers of attraction—influence language practices.

The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with statistical data processing. This methodology aims to test the presence and nature of correlations between socio-economic factors and stresses, migration strategies (including completed, ongoing, or hypothetical future relocation), and the linguistic choices made by members of Mountain Jewish communities. The core question is whether specific socio-economic statuses or migration plans predictably correlate with the use of Russian, Azerbaijani, Juhuri, or the growing institutional role of Hebrew.

Unlike traditional Mountain Jewish settlements, where multigenerational families fostered daily use of Juhuri, contemporary communities increasingly feature nuclear families and dispersed urban living. Field materials from Pyatigorsk suggest that this structural shift has disrupted intergenerational transmission, with a notable gender dimension: the primary space for Juhuri usage remains the predominantly male domain of the synagogue and intra-community business. Meanwhile, with post-Soviet religious revival, Hebrew is gaining status as the community's ancestral language through institutional education, aligning with both religious identity and the migration aspirations of families with ties to Israel.

By incorporating data from multiple locations, this study seeks to contribute to the understanding of the changing linguistic landscape in post-Soviet spaces and the complex interplay of gender, migration, and tradition in minority language communities facing rapid socio-economic change.