Displaced Jews in Georgia receive support from US and Israel

79-year-old Rivka Rosa, whose home was
virtually destroyed in the recent attacks in
Gori, Georgia, was discovered by a JDC
rescue team after days of searching
Photo: JDC

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) are trying to help Jews in Georgia who were displaced or otherwise negatively affected by the conflict between Moscow and Tbilisi. A Georgia Crisis Fund was set up to assist the Jewish population in Georgia and the breakaway republic of South Ossetia.

Tshinvali, a town in which 20 Jews resided before the conflict, has been virtually destroyed, according to JDC. Thanks to its work with local Jewish community center staff, JDC were able to find all 20 refugees and provide them with food, medicines and shelter.

Although the Jewish community in Georgia numbers only an estimated 7,000 to 12,000 people, compared to the total population of roughly 4.6 million people, The JDC estimates that more than 700 Jews have been displaced in recent days following the military operations of Russian forces on Georgian territory.