Why I'm Here
The American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is one of the most impactful international organizations on global Jewish life and continuity. JDC operates in over 70 countries, and they save and support lives each and every day. Each Jewish community has its needs and desires. Some need more help than others. I have the privilege to work at a Jewish organization that works really hard to support the local Charlotte Jewish community and global Jewry in building connections and deepening relationships. My job title at Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte (JFGC) is Israel & Global Jewry Associate. Building connections with the citizens of Israel is clear and obvious simply given that it possesses the largest Jewish community in the world. But global Jewry requires a different level of sensitivity, one of which I have a deep personal connection with. The two largest Jewish communities are in Israel and the United States. I owe both countries for the many gifts and experiences they have provided me. But my roots are in small, diasporic Jewish communities. My father is from South Africa and my mother is from Liechtenstein (I believe my family is over 50% of the Jewish population of that tiny country). It also cannot go unacknowledged that the Charlotte Jewish community is also small in comparison to other cities in the US. As such, through my work, I applied for a JDC Entwine trip to see the incredible work that JDC does abroad. The trip I was accepted on to be one of 25 young professionals was Georgia.
Not Your Mama's Georgia
After spending 22 hours on three different flights, I finally landed in Tbilisi (without my baggage, but it's fine). Georgia is nestled in the Caucuses region bordering Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Russia. Tbilisi, the capital city, gets its name from the Georgian word "tpili" meaning warm. This is due to the city's sulfur hot springs (highly recommend a sulfur bath). Despite what some may imagine, Tbilisi is one of the safest cities in Europe. Certainly, safer than other major European cities that I won't name who get millions of tourists. While I wouldn't recommend travelers to rent a car here, it is very safe to walk around and experience the sites and history of this old city.
Jewish Tbilisi
According to legend, but certainly in the realm of possibility, Jews first arrived in Georgia in 500 BCE after the Babylonians expelled the Jews from the Land of Israel. The Jews set up communities in Tbilisi and other cities around the country and have been a part of Georgian life ever since. Fast forward, at one point, the community was as high as 80,000 Jews. With the fall of the Soviet Union and the disastrous economic collapse that Georgia experienced, many Jews left the country for Israel or elsewhere. Estimates today range between 3,000 and 10,000 Jews across the country. While the Jews certainly experienced intense and cruel antisemitism from the Tsarists and the Soviets, antisemitism is noticeably absent in Georgian life. My answer may be incomplete but here is what I gained from conversation with locals and walking around Tbilisi. Georgia is incredibly diverse. It is common for Georgians, Armenians, Jews, Turks, Christian Orthodox, Muslims, etc to live in very close quarters. According to locals, it is common for people to share food and stories from their traditions while maintaining their distinct identities (though assimilation is not irrelevant). The other reason I have been given is that the Jews of Georgia, while loyal to their country and having a deep history here, are considered to be guests. Jews are not involved in political leadership in this country, and it seems that Jewish leadership focuses more on supporting the local community than political engagement.
In Tbilisi, I had the privilege to visit modern Jewish institutions in Tbilisi. I visited the Jewish Community Center which provides space and programming for the community. We learned about the Hesed Welfare Center which was established by JDC in the 1990's to support elderly and disabled Jews. The Center provides home care services and all types of assistance to those in need. As we know, human beings require social interaction other mental health can deteriorate and so Hesed provides that kind of support. We went to a home visit. Much struck me. The outside of the building looked like the stereotypical Soviet-style apartment-bloc building. After going up 7 flights of stairs, we visited an incredibly kind elderly woman. I have to say that she had made a beautifully decorated and comfortable apartment and through a translator, we got to learn her story. For the sake of privacy, I must stop there.
Gori
From Tbilisi, we went to the town of Gori. Gori's claim to fame is it being the birthplace of Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili, known to us as Joseph Stalin. Gori is also home to small but sizeable Jewish community, and they are supported by the JDC. Gori has a small synagogue that was built in 1936 and is still in operation to this day. There is also a matzah bakery and a mikvah as well as a Hesed Center. What I particularly admired about Gori's Hesed was its support for youth in providing after-school programming that gives skills and arts. We got to see a performance and it was quite enjoyable.
Akhaltsikhe
Located in the southwest of Georgia and just 20 kilometers from Turkey (sadly couldn't make a quick visit), Akhaltsikhe is home to medieval fortresses and castles. The Rabati castle was built in the 9th century and was recently renovated.
Akhaltsikhe is also home to a synagogue that was built in 1902 by Georgian Jews. The challenge is that the city has only one Jew. A young 21 year old Jew who is stuck taking care of his family synagogue. His family has been in the city for many years but Tsarist and Stalinist antisemitism as well as the post-Soviet economic collapse caused many Jews to leave. And now, there is only one. He takes care of the remaining Jewish institutional buildings and only has services on high holidays thanks to tourists.
Good Shabbos and Shabbat Shalom
No Jewish international experience is complete without a local Shabbat experience. Fortunately, we were invited to a Chabad Shabbaton at their local kosher restaurant called Mendi's. We shared the experience with several Israeli tourists. The experience was filled with Hebrew, delicious food, whiskey, and song. Chabad of Tbilisi was very hospitable and put on a great Shabbat show. It is amazing how just about wherever you go in the world, you can find a welcoming Chabad community to provide you a meaningful spiritual experience.
Many Jews in Georgia also know Hebrew quite well. While I am far from fluent, I can manage a conversation. I don't know any Georgian and there was something special about a Jew from the US and a Jew from Georgia communicating in Hebrew. That even though we both live in Diaspora and don't know the other's language, we can connect and communicate in our ancestral language. It felt as if doors otherwise closed were opened up and cross-global connections could be forged.
Takeaways from Georgia
Georgia is a beautiful and struggling country. It has incredible scenery and amazing hospitality. Not only are the people here incredibly friendly but they overfeed you with delicious food. The wine is out of this world. The Jewish community struggles here alongside the larger community. They face similar challenges that other communities face. The 2,500 year old Jewish Georgian history serves as a lesson in resilience, providing support for one's community, and how people of different cultures and live together and share each other's traditions and cuisine. But we can also wrestle with factors that may not apply to us. The Georgian Jewish community may be viewed as guests but that is not the situation for many other Jewish communities. It is worth asking if the "guest" approach in which you live in a society but not participate with it proper inclusion. But if other Jews in Diaspora apply this model and antisemitism were to dramatically decrease, is it worth that cost? I don't have an answer. It doesn't solve assimilation and it hasn't kept the majority of Jews born in Georgia to stay in Georgia. Nevertheless, the Georgian Jews share a fascinating culture and tradition which they carry with them whether they be in Georgia, Israel, or elsewhere.
The JDC does remarkable work and their unique community-model approach enables them to serve the local communities based on the needs that they express for themselves. The work they do saves lives and makes a difference for many people - people we may never know. It has been a privilege to see the work they do so far from home but that we all can connect and support.
My deep gratitude goes to the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte and American Joint Distribution Committee for supporting me on this journey to learn firsthand about Global Jewry, Georgian Jewry, and the incredible unsung work that JDC does.
Kol HaKavod.
