Georgia or Gruzia, is a region located on the border of Europe-Asia neighboring the eastern side of the black sea, in the geographical area of the Caucasus Mountains. Its terrain is mountainous and rich in natural resources, attracting many tourists. The country is also located at a crossroads on the historic 'silk road' route through which goods traveled from east to west, which greatly contributed to its prosperity and development. The country borders russia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, Armenia and Turkey to the south, and the black sea to the west.

The country has an ancient history, with settlement beginning about 3,000 years ago. for many years, the country belonged to the soviet union, and with the declaration of its dissolution in 5751 (1991), it became an independent country. in the capital city of tbilisi, over a million residents live, constituting about a quarter of the country's total population.

Our rebbes sent their students to work among Georgian Jewry to strengthen Jewish identity with mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice), beginning from the period of the Rebbe Rashab until our present day, as many members of the Georgian community themselves became chabad chassidim, including community leaders and heads, great scholars and rabbis.

History[edit | edit source]

In ancient times, Georgia was ruled by the Caucasian Iberian kingdom. Later, Christians took control of the country, and due to its geographical location between Muslim and Christian countries, it became a focus of struggle between Christians and Muslims.

With the beginning of the Middle Ages, the arab empire took control of Georgia's territory and the government established there was called the 'emirate of tbilisi', and later the emirate disintegrated and its inhabitants were enslaved and sold in other countries as fighting soldiers, mamluks.

During the reign of king david, the government was restored and georgia experienced nearly a hundred years of prosperity and flourishing, becoming a symbol of tolerance and religious and cultural diversity, but later, mongolia invaded georgia and as a result the country broke up into several principalities that quarreled among themselves, and consequently the ottoman empire and the persian empire annexed parts of it to their territory.

In 5543 (1783), an agreement was signed between Georgia and Russia, according to which it became a protectorate of Russia, and in 5561 (1801) it was annexed by tsar pavel the first to the russian empire, and the heir to the Georgian throne was deposed and replaced by a government headed by the Russian general Ivan Petrovich lasariev.

After the First World War, in the midst of the Russian Civil War, Georgia declared political independence and in the elections that took place, the social-democratic party won, but after only three years the Red Army attacked Georgia and conquered it, and established a pro-communist puppet regime in the country. The Georgians themselves continued to resist and rebel against the new government, but these were violently suppressed, and under stalin's regime, who was Georgian himself, about 100,000 Georgians were killed in the great political purges he conducted.

In the interim period, when the Georgian government already noticed the impending invasion disaster, one of the employees in the state service told Anash that the Georgian government was about to sail on a ship to Turkey, as the Bolsheviks were approaching the area. Several wealthy Chabad Chassidim also thought to join the journey and suggested to the Rebbe Rashab that he also emigrate with them. The idea was proposed to rebbetzin shterna sarah schneerson who gave her consent as did the Rebbe Rashab. for the purpose of issuing the visa, they photographed the Rebbe Rashab. The photo was taken on the ninth of Av that year. Before the voyage, when the ship was ready and a large part of the household items had already been sold, the rebbe rashab came out of his room and told his family that he had changed his mind and decided not to travel. he added and asked that they not continue to ask why and wherefore, and he remained in rostov.

After the dissolution of the soviet union and the fall of the Iron Curtain, Georgia became an independent state, but within the country itself, different groups continued to exist that continued to support and belong to the russian government.

In 5768 (2008), Russia invaded Georgia in order to annex the separatist regions in the country considered pro-Russian, and continued attacking Georgia's territory even after it agreed to separate from these districts, and as a result more than 115 thousand Georgian refugees fled from the front.

Georgian jewry[edit | edit source]

According to some historical estimates, the beginning of the Jewish community in Georgia began after the destruction of the first temple, in the Mesopotamian exile, and in the days of Nebuchadnezzar. Traditionally, throughout history, the Jewish residents of Georgia lived in separate neighborhoods.

The jewish residents of georgia were the first subjects in the soviet union to conduct public propaganda to leave the country's borders and immigrate to israel, both through direct appeal to the secretary general of the un in a letter published as 'the letter of the 18 families', and in a hunger strike by a large group near government centers in moscow, and eventually their action led to a historic change in the attitude of the soviet authorities, who began to allow more freely aliyah to the holy land.

Over the years, about 30,000 georgian jews immigrated to the holy land, with smaller percentages migrating to other countries. Today, the number of Jewish residents in the country is estimated at about 15,000 people.

Among the jews of Georgia, an internal dialect of the Georgian language is spoken, called 'Jewish Georgian'.

During the Period of the Rebbe Rashab[edit | edit source]

Expanded section - Tomchei Temimim Kutaisi (Georgia)

The first activity of Chabad Chassidim in Georgia was around 5653 (1893) when Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda Leib Eliezerov traveled as a shadar (emissary) to collect funds for the Jewish community in Eretz Yisrael. When he visited the court of the Rebbe Rashab, the Rebbe asked him that during his stay in the country, he should "sow spirituality and gather materiality." In 5665 (1905), Rabbi Eliezerov visited the country again and worked there extensively until his return to Chevron.

About 15 years after the establishment of the Tomchei Temimim yeshiva network by the Rebbe Rashab, he wanted to expand the yeshiva network and establish branches throughout Georgia, with the goal of strengthening Jewish identity among the Jewish residents in the country. During that period, he called upon the Chassid Rabbi Eliezer Dvosikin and inquired about the possibility of him taking on this mission, stating, "For three years we have been thinking about the Jews of Georgia, and I want to send you there."

Although ultimately Rabbi Dvosikin was not sent, the Rebbe Rashab sent several prominent Chassidim in his place, who worked in Georgia on his mission. The first emissary was Rabbi Shmuel Levitin, who was sent in 5676 (1916) to the city of Kutaisi in Georgia to serve as the chief rabbi of several central towns where he established many students. Rabbi Levitin brought with him about twenty additional families of Chabad Chassidim, who were appointed in various communities as rabbis, teachers, and ritual slaughterers. The Rebbe Rashab sent substantial sums of money to Rabbi Levitin throughout this period to assist him in his work. His greatest achievement was the establishment of Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim Kutaisi, which at its peak had approximately 600 students. The Rebbe Rayatz remarked about Rabbi Levitin that he was considered the "head of the state," and attributed the tremendous success to his actions.

Rabbi Yitzchak Zeev of Brisk greatly valued the work done in Georgia under the Rebbe Rashab's direction, and following Rabbi Levitin's tremendous success, he sent his two closest students there to further enhance the holy work.

In addition to establishing the yeshiva network in Georgia itself, the Chassidim worked to send talented students to yeshivas in Russia, where the level of learning was higher, as was the Chassidic atmosphere that prevailed there. Thus, many of them became Chabad Chassidim, such as Rabbi Simon Yaakobashvili, head of the Chabad Jacobson family.

Among the Chassidim that the Rebbe Rashab himself sent to assist Rabbi Levitin was Rabbi Avraham Levi Slavin, who was sent in 5677 (1917) to the city of Kulashi, where about 3,000 Jewish families lived at that time. In addition to his activities in Kulashi itself, he traveled with self-sacrifice to neighboring towns and cities, where he established mikvaos (ritual baths), educational institutions, cheders for children, and yeshivas for young men. In Kulashi itself, he established a yeshiva and a large Talmud Torah with hundreds of students.

Also active in the country were Rabbi Nachum Shmaryahu Sassonkin, Rabbi Chaim, Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Zuber the Shochet, Rabbi Zalman Altschuler, and others.

During the Period of the Rebbe Rayatz[edit | edit source]

About four years after the emissaries of the Rebbe Rashab began working in Georgia, the Rebbe Rashab passed away, and his son, the Rebbe Rayatz, continued his activities, including the tremendous influence for strengthening Judaism throughout Georgia.

Emissaries of the Rebbe Rayatz were hosted by Chacham Yosef Eligulashvili and ate from his ritual slaughtering.

Among the Chassidim sent by the Rebbe Rayatz was Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Perlov, who arrived in the city of Kulashi in 5682 (1922) and served as rabbi alongside his brother-in-law Rabbi Slavin. He later moved to the city of Stachili and established a yeshiva and mikvah there. With the establishment of the Jewish community in that place, he moved in 5688 (1928) to Stackhari, where he spread Judaism and fought against the KGB with self-sacrifice.

At the same time, Rabbi Eliyahu Shmuel Kahanov was sent to Achaltziche and was appointed as the local rabbi and ritual slaughterer, while Rabbi Betzalel Vilshansky was sent to Batumi, where he served as rabbi, ritual slaughterer, examiner, and mohel for many years.

Even in later years, the Rebbe Rayatz continued to manage the extensive system of spreading and strengthening Judaism in Georgia. In 5692 (1932), he sent Rabbi Aryeh Zev Lipsker, Chacham Yaakov Dabrashvili (who was himself from Georgia and had become close to Chabad Chassidus through the emissaries of the Rebbe Rashab), and additional Chassidim.

At the end of World War II, in 5706 (1946), the emissaries left Georgia, and most of them left Russia altogether. Like Rabbi Yosef Goldberg, the mashpia Rabbi Shmuel and his son Rabbi Yaakov Notik, Georgian chachamim who became Chabadniks and were active: Chachamim Michael Davitashvili, Shabtai Eligulashvili, Moshe Dabrashvili, Yaakov Dabrashvili, Eliyahu Feniashvili, Yehuda Butrashvili of Kulash, member of the Chabad rabbinic court, Yitzchak Michalashvili, Emanuel Davitashvili, Michael Taturashvili, Eliyahu Butrashvili son of Rabbi Aharon, Shabtai Michalashvili.

Under the Leadership of the Rebbe[edit | edit source]

The synagogue for the Georgian immigrant community in Nachalat Har Chabad in Kiryat Malachi, named after Rabbi Shmuel Levitin, the pioneer of Chabad activity in Georgia.

After World War II, when the center of Chabad Chassidus moved to the United States, contact with the Chassidim working in Georgia became challenging due to the need to overcome Russian censorship and the fact that most Chassidim who succeeded had left the Soviet Union in the famous escape.

Nevertheless, the activity itself continued through the students of the emissaries of the Rebbe Rashab and the Rebbe Rayatz who remained behind the Iron Curtain, led by the 'chachamim' and community leaders, including Rabbi Yehuda Butrashvili, Chacham Moshe Michalashvili, Chacham Yaakov Michalashvili, Chacham Ben Tzion Michalashvili, Rabbi Refael Alashvili, as well as their sons and students, Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber Eligulashvili and additional Chassidim who continued to maintain the network of educational and purity institutions established over decades by the emissaries of our Rebbes. Georgian chachamim who were Chabad Chassidim and were active: Chacham Yosef (and his son?) Refael Alashvili, the brothers Yaakov, Moshe (and Ben Tzion), sons of Rabbi Shabtai Michalashvili.

In 5727 (1967), the Rebbe mentioned the activities of the emissaries of the Rebbe Rashab and the Rebbe Rayatz in the country and remarked to Rabbi Levitin that in the following year, Georgian immigrants would already merit to participate in Simchat Torah together with us. Among other things, the Rebbe said: "With greater intensity and strength, the spreading of Chassidus among Sephardim began in the days of the Rebbe Rashab - through sending emissaries to these communities... and afterwards with even greater momentum and strength in the days of my father-in-law, the Rebbe... in expansion and extension."

In 5731 (1971), following a change in Soviet policy that began to gradually allow Soviet Jews to leave beyond the Iron Curtain, the Rebbe initiated the establishment of special housing for immigrants, including the expansion of Shikun Chabad Lod and the establishment of Nachalat Har Chabad. He took care of the spiritual absorption of the immigrants, ensuring they would enter religious educational institutions, register for yeshivas and Chabad institutions, gather in synagogues, and maintain the spiritual character they had enjoyed before their aliyah and even strengthen it. He launched an extensive campaign for Georgian immigrants out of concern that what happened in other waves of immigration would not recur, where many immigrants experienced spiritual decline, especially in their future generations.

Among the central activists in this field was Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber Lifshitz, who managed and organized the spiritual absorption of Georgian Jews, arranged settlement places for them among Chabad communities, opened synagogues for them, provided them with Chabad Chassidic rabbis, absorbed their sons in Tomchei Temimim yeshivas, and more. All this was done with the encouragement of the Rebbe and in cooperation with the management of Chabad institutions headed by Rabbi Efraim Wolf. In some of the central Chabad institutions, the official letterhead was even changed to include that they were intended for immigrants from Bukhara, Georgia, and Yemen. In memory of Rabbi Levitin, who was the pioneer of activity in Georgia and to whom the Jews in the entire country owe their spiritual identity, the central synagogue of the Georgian community in Kiryat Malachi was named "Beit Shmuel" after him.

When Georgian immigrants came to visit our holy courts, the Rebbe gave them special attention, both personally when the immigrants merited private and lengthy yechidus (private audiences) in which the Rebbe took a personal interest in the state of Judaism there and gave various directives about maintaining contact with those who remained in Georgia and activities among the immigrants, and publicly during farbrengens when he asked them to sing tunes they used to sing in their country of origin, gave them l'chaim personally, and other references.

In addition to his activities, the Rebbe publicly cried out the cries of Georgian immigrants and demanded in several farbrengens and letters that they not be prevented from educating their children in the way handed down to them from their forefathers, and he pleaded with the Chassidim to act in all available ways for the Georgian immigrants.

In response to the Rebbe's call, the management of the Ohallei Yosef Yitzchak network in the Holy Land also acted and established and expanded several institutions in response to the large wave of immigration, including the Chabad School in Nof HaGalil, which was founded during those years.

The Rebbe also strengthened the rabbis from the Georgian community who were among the Chabad Chassidim to act and care for the Judaism and spiritual state of all members of the community, including Rabbi Yehuda Butrashvili, Chacham Moshe Michalashvili, Chacham Yaakov Michalashvili, Chacham Ben Tzion Michalashvili, Rabbi Refael Alashvili, and others, who were all among the leaders of Georgian Jewry.

For many years, Chabad Chassidim served as presidents of the Association of Georgian Rabbis and in other leadership positions in the general organizations of the community members, expressing the deep involvement of our Rebbes in strengthening Georgian Judaism.

To this day, Chabad Chassidim from the community operate various organizations working with Georgian immigrants, such as the Torah and Chesed Center based in Ashdod, and additional organizations.

After the Fall of the Iron Curtain[edit | edit source]

With the opening of the gates of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Iron Curtain, Chabad Chassidim returned to work throughout Georgia, and the Rebbe's emissaries went to Jewish centers in the country and worked to make the wasteland flourish and strengthen Jewish identity.

In 5752 (1992), Rabbi Refael Alashvili, the Chief Rabbi of Georgian Jewry in Israel, was sent to strengthen Judaism in the country.

In 5765 (2005), Rabbi Meir and Tzippy Kozlovsky arrived in the capital city of Tbilisi and established a Chabad House there, setting up an extensive network of institutions: the "Yaldei Menachem" kindergarten, "Or Avner" school, ENERJEW youth activities and EUROSTARS student activities, "Gan Israel" summer camps, Torah classes, and activities for travelers and Israelis in Georgia. Over the years, additional emissaries joined the activities: Rabbi Bentziyon and Rachel Israeli, Rabbi Menachem Mendel and Musia Morozov, Rabbi Menachem Mendel and Chaya Edrei.

In 5778 (2018), a Chabad House was established in Batumi by the Rebbe's emissaries, Rabbi Aryeh Zeev and Mushi Mendelson.

Niggunim[edit | edit source]

Among Chabad Chassidim, several niggunim originating from the Jewish communities in Georgia have been accepted, including niggunim that were played before the Rebbe, which the Rebbe himself encouraged and requested be sung in his presence.

Among these niggunim are:

Palgei Mayim - recorded from the Chassid R' Alexander Sender Menkin (Niggun 266 in Sefer HaNiggunim).
Adon HaSelichot - a niggun customarily sung before concluding the Selichot prayers preceding Rosh Hashanah (Niggun 250 in Sefer HaNiggunim).
Kol Sasson V'Kol Simcha.

External links[edit | edit source]

Website of Chabad House in Tbilisi
Shneur Berger, What Connection Does an Ashkenazi Admor Have to Bukharan, Caucasian, and Georgian Jewry?!..., Beit Moshiach Weekly, 17 Cheshvan 5780, page 28
Dai L'Chakima B'Remiza, partial overview of the Rebbe's relationship with Georgian sages in the 'Nitzutzei Rebbe' section of Hiskashrus Weekly

Georgia

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