• An additional 100 approved for immigration, readying to leave Georgia
  
• Jewish Agency sets up hotline in Jerusalem to help new immigrants, give information to Georgians considering aliyah.

Friday, August 22, 2008

As of today (Aug 22), the Jewish Agency for Israel has brought 100 new immigrants from Georgia to Israel since the start of the crisis there. Another 100 Jews still in Georgia have had their request for aliyah approved and will be arriving in Israel in the coming weeks. In addition, there are several dozen more Georgian Jews who have begun the aliyah application process.

The new immigrants are now arriving on regularly scheduled flights from Tbilisi, which leave every other day to Israel; there are generally between one and two dozen olim on each flight.

The Jewish Agency emissary in Tbilisi traveled Tuesday (Aug 19) to the southwest region of Georgia and held meetings with the small Jewish communities in the cities of Kutaisi and Batumi to assess special needs and interest among residents to immigrate to Israel. The shaliach, Grisha Brodsky, was encouraged by the relatively large turnout – several dozen people in each city – and by the interest among residents in exploring the possibility of moving to Israel.

Meanwhile in Israel, the Jewish Agency opened a special information line in Georgian and Russian for new olim who have just arrived to provide support and answer questions. This hotline is also accessible from Georgia for people interested in information on making aliyah.

Georgian Jews apply for aliyah at the Jewish Agency office in Tbilisi. So far 100 Jews from Georgia have move to Israel since the start of the crisis. 

The Jewish Agency is supported by founding constituent partners: Keren Hayesod, United Jewish Communities and Jewish federations around the world; and primary funders: Keren Hayesod, United Jewish Communities and major Jewish Federations in North America, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.