Museum
Three American friends who stumbled upon the Bukharian Jewish Museum via its Instagram account ended up getting a free concert, too, when Yakov Khahamov began belting operatic tunes.
According to Alla Aronova, who runs the museum with her father Aron Aronov, Khanamov was there to donate artifacts from composer Eduard Khahamov. While Khahamov, together with his wife Svetlana, was talking to Mr. Aronov, the curious Americans inquired about who he was.
«He was a very famous opera singer in Uzbekistan,» Aronova explained.
Taking a cue from Aronova, the former Alisher Navoi Theater opera singer put on some music and then mesmerized the visitors with his ever-resonant voice. Everyone listened in silence, shocked by the immense talent.
Usually, it’s Mr. Aron Aronov’s show at the Bukharian Jewish Museum—taking guests on an intimate tour through centuries of Bukharian Jewish life—but this time he had a compelling companion sharing the spotlight.
Common Ground
The spontaneous performance was just one of many memorable moments for the three visitors: teachers Tong Bao and Tianyu Gao, and Jake Granger, who works in sales at Amawaterways. As evidenced by the heartfelt reviews they left in the museum’s guest book, the experience resonated deeply with each of them.
Aronova said that when her father started talking about the Soviet era, the two Chinese teachers immediately connected. «It was the same in China,» they told him, recognizing the shared experiences of their families under communist rule.
For Bao, the visit felt like discovering a hidden treasure. «By chance this weekend, I found the Bukharian Jewish Museum, and honestly, calling it a ‘museum’ doesn’t quite capture it—it feels more like a family’s and a community’s beloved memory treasure box,» she wrote.
She was struck by the personal nature of the collection. “Every single item was carried piece by piece from Uzbekistan over decades,” she wrote. The 87-year-old Mr. Aronov, leaning on his cane, told stories that spanned from Central Asia to Persia, the Silk Road, the Soviet era, all the way to life in New York—weaving together tales of tandoor ovens, grape trellises, embroidered robes, Soviet documents, and Uzbek skullcaps.
«There’s no flashy exhibition design, but every detail is quiet, honest, and grounded,» Bao reflected. «All the shadows and warmth of history somehow melt into the cups of tea we shared.»
The experience also revealed universal themes about migration and memory. «Seeing how different Jewish communities interacted and coexisted with local cultures, how generations shaped their identity through shifting sociopolitical landscapes, and how they held onto tradition and family memory… it made me realize that no matter where we come from, the things we refuse to lose in migration are often the same.»
Tianyu Gao, a Ph.D. researcher at Queens College who has lived in Forest Hills for three years, was particularly moved by finally understanding the vibrant Bukharian presence in his neighborhood. «I was especially struck by the dedication of Alla and her father, Aron, and the pride they take in preserving Bukharian artifacts,» he wrote. «Their stories and the history they carried with them were a powerful reminder of how much we, as first-generation immigrants, should cherish the opportunities, freedoms, and the stability we enjoy in this country.»
Jake Granger summed up the experience perfectly: «The Bukharian Jewish Museum is a quintessential ‘Only in New York’ experience.» He praised how Mr. Aronov gives visitors «a heartfelt journey through their little-known Jewish community’s 2,000-year history from the Silk Road to the Soviet era and beyond in a space loaded with rare artifacts personally brought by Mr. Aronov from Uzbekistan.»
Queens Caravan
The patriarch treats his guests like welcome travelers on a caravan, Granger noted, giving visitors the impression of stepping out of the streets of Rego Park and right into Mr. Aronov’s childhood surroundings in Bukhara, complete with charming explanations of everything from daily life to what nomadic families used before modern diapers.
«Mr. Aronov has constructed his space to stand as a living testament to the hardships his people have endured and their perseverance over centuries,» Granger wrote. Pictures of individuals from the Bukharian Jewish community line almost every wall in the space. «This experience is a rare gift that Mr. Aronov has provided for both his community and NYC.»
Aron and Alla embody Central Asian hospitality, and it shows in every carefully curated corner of the museum—and in moments like an impromptu opera performance that reminds visitors why this kind of encounter could only happen in New York.
Erin Levi
Photos from Alla Aronova