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The great synagogue of Tbilisi Tbilisi has always been a very tolerant and multicultural city, as evidenced by the many different religious buildings such as synagogues, a mosque, Catholic, Orthodox, Armenian churches and even a fire temple, all within close proximity to each other. There are three synagogues in Tbilisi and in this article, you will find information not only about all three synagogues, including the great synagogue but also about the history of Jews in Tbilisi and throughout Georgia. Synagogues and Jews in Georgia Apart from the Georgians, the Jews are the oldest inhabitants of the country, the first of whom came to Georgia 2,600 years ago during the Babylonian exile. When the king of Babylon - Nebuchadnezzar - conquered the city of Jerusalem in 586 BC, many had to leave the city and some of the emigrants of that time also came to Georgia and asked for permission to settle in the city of Mtskheta (then the capital of Eastern Georgia). Over time, Jews settled in various places in Georgia, such as Kutaisi, Batumi, Oni, Kulashi, Lechkhumi, etc., and built synagogues there. There are a total of 21 synagogues in Georgia, the most beautifully decorated of which is the synagogue in Oni, in the Racha region. Number of Jews in Georgia The number of Jews in Georgia has always fluctuated. According to the 1989 census, shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, a total of 24,720 Jews lived in Georgia, most of them Ashkenazi but some Sephardic. Number of Jews in Tbilisi In 1864, only 400 Jews lived in Tbilisi, but within eleven years the number had risen to 1100. By 1901, there were already 3000 Jews living in Tbilisi. This rapid increase was due to the abolition of serfdom in Georgia in 1864, which increased not only the number of Jews but also the population of Tbilisi in general. Most of the Jews who emigrated to Tbilisi came from the western and southern parts of the country, especially from Kutaisi and Akhaltsikhe. As the capital of Georgia - Tbilisi - grew over time, the number of Jews continued to increase. According to the 1979 census, just under 15,000 Jews lived in Tbilisi alone. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the resulting difficult economic situation throughout Georgia, most Jews emigrated to Israel, the USA and Canada. By 2015, there were just under 2,000 Jews living in Tbilisi. Synagogues in Tbilisi There are three synagogues in Tbilisi, all located in the Old Town, two on Kote Abkhazi and one on Anton Catholicos Street. I Synagogue (Museum) - at 3 Anton Catholicos Street The building was built in 1910 and in 1932 the "Cultural Centre of Jewish Workers" was established there and a year later, in 1933, the "Jewish Historical and Ethnographic Museum" was opened. The museum was closed in 1952 and reopened after Georgia's independence in 1992 as the David Baazov Historical and Ethnographic Museum of Georgian Jews. The building was included on the city's list of endangered monuments due to its poor general condition and was completely renovated and restored in 2013-14. II Synagogue - Kote Apchazi Street No. 28 Also known as the "Little Synagogue of Tbilisi", the building was built in 1864 as a residence for the small Jewish community. The famous Rabbi Michael Kupchan also lived here. The building was transformed into a synagogue in 1914. Over the years, the synagogue has been restored several times and additional rooms have been added. The brick synagogue has an area of 500 square metres, consists of two floors and can seat 150 people. The small synagogue is usually closed and only opened for services and special Jewish celebrations. III Synagogue - Kote Apchazi Street No. 43-45 Also known as the "Great Synagogue of Tbilisi", this building was built at the end of the XIX century by the Georgian Jews of Akhaltsikhe in eclectic brick style and completed in 1904. The building has two floors. The first floor is relatively plain, but the second floor is decorated with beautiful, newly restored gold and blue frescoes, floral details and Hebrew phrases from the prayer books. The synagogue is open during the day and can be visited at any time when no services are being held. The site of the Great Synagogue is also the site where kosher slaughter is performed according to the rules of Jewish religious law, the Halacha. The synagogue contains a special oven for religious bread - matzah (unleavened bread), a ritual immersion bath - mikvah, a small kosher restaurant and several storage rooms. Interesting to know The Georgian National Manuscript Centre has a valuable variant of the Torah, also known as the "Bible of Lailashi". It is a handwritten Torah on parchment with geometric and decorative figures in different colours. This Torah contains Masoretic texts from the Old Testament and is dated to the 10th century. Century. The Lailashi Bible weighs 10 kilos and is one of the most important masterpieces of the Manuscript Centre. It was found in a Jewish settlement in the village of Lailashi in the northern Georgian region of Racha, from which the manuscript takes its name. On following trip, you will visit the great synagogue of Tbilisi |
