Chaos engulfs Jews in Georgia

War between Russia and its former republic creates turmoil for families in Gori

Issue of August 15, 2008

The emergency airlift was taking place even as efforts were underway to persuade Georgia to sign on to a French-backed peace initiative which, it was hoped, would halt five days of Russian attack on the U.S. ally.

The conflict has made refugees out of the small Jewish community in the city of Gori, forcing evacuations southeast to Tbilisi, where most of Georgia's 12,000 Jews live. In Tbilisi, Jews were receiving aid from The Jewish Agency, from a rescue committee organized by Agudath Israel of America, and from Chabad emissaries to Georgia.

"As of last night Jews from Gori have completely evacuated the city," Rabbi Shmuel Bloom, Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of America, said Tuesday.

Vaad L'Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel, an Agudah organization which normally operates a yeshiva in Georgia, was operating a soup kitchen and otherwise seeing to the refugees' needs, said Mordechai Avigdor, a member on the Vaad's board.

Dozens of refugees have called a hotline set up by the Jewish Agency, to inquire about officially making aliyah. Others will go to Israel temporarily and The Jewish Agency will set up programs and camps for them, according to spokesman Jacob Dallal in New York.

With the help of Rabbi Meir Kozlovsky, a Chabad emissary in Tbilisi, staff at the Israeli Embassy processed the paperwork of those seeking emergency transport to Tel Aviv.

For those families that are choosing to remain in Georgia, Dallal said, "We are providing assistance...even something like meals and other communal needs."

"We are doing the utmost to ensure that each and every Jew's needs are met," said Rabbi Avraham Michaelashvili of Tbilisi. He said that he knew of some Jewish soldiers in the Georgian Army and that the community is praying for peace. "We are praying that the soldiers, regardless of their religion, return to their families unharmed."

"There are a lot of injured, a lot of dead," said Eti Betskashvili, a secretary to Rabbi Michaelashvili. "No place is safe. Everyone is in their homes. Some of our community are in the army. My children are home all day; there is no where to go."

On Tuesday morning, a 52-year-old Israeli journalist, Tzadok Yehezkeli, was wounded in an explosion in Gori after a bomb exploded near the town square.

For more information on where to send contributions for these Jewish families in need contact Vaad L'Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel at 718-252-5974 or mail your contributions to Vaad L'Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel, Georgian Relief Fund, 1566 Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11230.