WI: Surviving Jewish Khazaria?

Exactly what it says on the label. Could Jewish Khazaria survive as an independent state for longer than it did OTL? What would be the effects of this on our world today?
 
Where? They were located in the middle of a major route of migration from the steppes, and the nomad invasions that took that route weren't stopping any time soon.
 
In all likelyhood, what is required is a weaker Kievian Rus, or one that for some reason feels the need to focus elsewhere; problem is that "elsewhere" means in general less valuable preys, except Byzantium, and the Khazars would need Byzantium anyway.
However, in the eyes of the Russians controlling the steppe to their southeast to some degree is going to be a priority for understandable reasons. This does not mean they'd be succesful just beacause they've been OTL. The key was the Byzantine shift of alliances, when Rus appeared to them more reliable, (and the Khazars less hostile to the Caliphate than before).
So, IMHO, surviving strong Khazaria means weaker, or differently oriented (Baltic?), Russia.
 
It would have a hard time surviving, but if it did, the Mongols would conquer it.

If they are not butterflied. The fall of Khazaria modified heavily the situation of the Eurasian nomads, giving many of them an outlet to the West (Pecenegs and Kumans especially). Well, some Nomadic outbursts are likely to be expected anyway, of course, but not necessarily with a Gengis Khan leading them.
Also, Khazaria would be a tougher nut than Kumans. Surely it would be conquered, but if developed enough, it would partially absorb the Mongols. The alt-golden Horde could be ruled by a mainly Jewish elite? That would be COOL, even if not granted at all.
Also, Volga Bulgaria should be counted in any local equation.
 
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