Editing Georgia (section)

==== During the Period of the Rebbe Rashab ====
''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.