As a little boy in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Manashe learned the importance of helping his community from his parents, for whom it was a core value. When he immigrated to the United States at the age of 14 he had to make many choices including what career to choose. Manashe got very lucky that he met many people in his life that were eager to help and guide him. With the support of his family and mentors he is the person who he is today. This is why Manashes calling is to pay forward and guide college students while mentoring them to pay forward. From a very young age, Manashe was curious about his roots but couldn’t find reliable resources online or inprint in English. He have decided to change that by gathering resources and making them accessible online. He have developed Bukharian Lens is a unique inter-generational video project that documented the untold historic narrative of the role of Bukharian Jews in World War II as soldiers and as hosts of the Ashkenazi Jews that fled the war and came to Central Asia. This film was featured at several festivals around the world. The next big problem Manashe was tasked to solve was encountering young people who wanted to learn Bukharian language but did not have access to many resources especially online. This is when Manashe Developed the only Bukharian language dictionary called, AskBobo at www.askbobo.org. After its launch, the site has had over 100 participants daily. Today ,Manashe Khaimov is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SAMi which focuses on the Leadership Development of under-served Jewish communities on college campuses and in their communities in North America. Manashe is a fourth-generation community organizer, serial entrepreneur, and social innovator who builds and consults organizations on Jewish diversity. Manashe is an Adjunct Professor in Jewish Studies, with a specialty in the History and Culture of the Central Asian Jews at Queens College. Manashe is the founder of the Bukharian Jewish Union, an organization for young professionals in their 20’s and 30’s, the founder of AskBobo.org, the only Bukharian online dictionary, and the founder of The Jewish Silk Road Tours ™ an initiative that helps to introduce New Yorkers and tourists from around the world to the diversity of NYC, he sits on the National Sephardic Advisory Committee at JIMENA. In his previous role as a Director of Community Engagement and Development at Queens College Hillel, he focused on creating the Sepharadi and Mizrahi Leadership pipeline at five CUNY Hillel campuses. In 2022 Manashe was named “Person Of The Year 2020-2021” the highest award and recognition in the Bukharian Community in the USA and Canada. In 2021 Manashe was appointed by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz as a member of the Jewish Advisory Council. In 2015, the Jewish Week named Manashe one of the 36 under 36 changemakers in Jewish life. In 2016, the TimesLedger Newspaper’s named Manashe one of the borough’s unsung heroes who inspired youngsters to reach their full potential, and was awarded Queen’s Impact Award and he is an alumnus of the Nahum Goldmann Fellowship for International Jewish Visionary Leaders, and Alumnus of Ruskay Fellowship. Manashe has presented on the history of the Bukharian Jews and Mizrahi and Sephardic Community at numerous communities all around the United States and beyond including in Canada, Uzbekistan, Limmud South Africa (2018), Limmud FSU Vienna (2020), and presented at eFestival Limmud North America (2020), Limmud UK (2020), Limmud Seattle (2021). During The Pandemic he set his own record on presenting on four continents, doing over 50 talks, and engaging over 1000 people worldwide. Manashe holds a BA in International Marketing, and MSW in Community Organizing, Planning, & Development.
Manashe Khaimov – his story
