History of the Jews in South Ossetia: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
removed Category:History of the Jews in Georgia (country) using HotCat |
Citation bot (talk | contribs) Altered title. | Use this bot. Report bugs. | Suggested by Superegz | Category:History of South Ossetia | #UCB_Category 2/5 |
||
| (36 intermediate revisions by 18 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Infobox ethnic group |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| group = South Ossetian Jews |
|||
| image = SouthOssetiaorthographicprojection.svg |
|||
| caption = Location of [[South Ossetia]] in [[Asia]] |
|||
| pop = {{flag|South Ossetia}}: 1 (2013)<ref name="rt"/><ref name="jamn"/> |
|||
| regions = [[Tskhinvali]] |
|||
| langs = [[Russian language|Russian]] |
|||
| rels = [[Judaism]] |
|||
| native_name = |
|||
| related_groups = [[Jews]] ([[History of the Jews in Abkhazia|Abkhaz Jews]], [[Georgian Jews]]) |
|||
}} |
|||
{{Jews and Judaism sidebar}} |
|||
| ⚫ | The '''history of the [[Jews]] in [[South Ossetia]]''' is connected to the [[history of the Jews in Georgia]]. Much of the early Jewish history in [[South Ossetia]] is similar to that of other Jewish communities in the [[Georgia (country)|Georgian]] region. At the same time, the South Ossetian capital, [[Tskhinvali]] was known for its sizable [[Georgian Jews|Georgian Jewish]] population, where the community had its own quarter. |
||
| ⚫ | In 1891, an [[Ashkenazi]] rabbi Avraham Khvolis moved to Tskhinvali from Lithuania. In Tskhinvali, Khvolis founded a school and synagogue, and he taught European rabbinical thought to Georgian Jews. Today, the synagogue Khvolis founded sits abandoned on a desolate street with what appears to be a hole from an artillery shell in its facade. On Sundays, Baptist services are held there. |
||
==Connection with Georgian Jews== |
|||
| ⚫ | According to the Soviet censuses of 1926 and 1939 there were about 2000 Jews in South Ossetia, all but a few in Tskhinvali. As late as 1926 almost a third of the town's inhabitants were Jews. Their number declined later as they moved to bigger cities of Soviet Union or [[ |
||
The [[history of the Jews in Georgia]] is over 2,500 years old. Georgian Jews ({{lang-ka|ქართველი ებრაელები|tr}}) are one of the oldest communities in [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], tracing their migration into the country during the [[Babylonian captivity]] in 6th century BC.<ref name="Georgian Historiography 2004, p. 60">The Wellspring of Georgian Historiography: The Early Medieval Historical Chronicle The Conversion of Katli and The Life of St. Nino, Constantine B. Lerner, England: Bennett and Bloom, London, 2004, p. 60</ref> Prior to Georgia's annexation by [[Russia]], the 2,600-year history of the Georgian Jews was marked by an almost total absence of [[antisemitism]] and a visible assimilation in the Georgian language and culture.<ref name="haaretz.com">[http://www.haaretz.com/video/1.640351 Forget Atlanta - this is the Georgia on my mind] By Jewish Discoveries and Harry D. Wall Feb. 7, 2015, Haaretz</ref> The Georgian Jews were considered ethnically and culturally distinct from neighboring [[Mountain Jews]].<ref>''Mountain Jews: customs and daily life in the Caucasus'', Leʼah Miḳdash-Shemaʻʼilov, Liya Mikdash-Shamailov, Muzeʼon Yiśraʼel (Jerusalem), UPNE, 2002, page 9</ref> They were also traditionally a highly separate group from the [[Ashkenazi Jews]] in Georgia, who arrived following the [[Georgia within the Russian Empire|Russian annexation of Georgia]]. |
|||
==Modern history== |
|||
Most of the Jewish population fled South Ossetia for Georgia proper and Israel during the [[1991–1992 South Ossetia War|first Ossetian War]] in 1991. The remainder fled in advance of the [[2008 South Ossetia war|2008 war]]. Today, only one Jew remains in Tskhinvali, a single elderly woman. |
|||
| ⚫ | In 1891, an [[Ashkenazi]] rabbi Avraham Khvolis moved to Tskhinvali from Lithuania. In Tskhinvali, Khvolis founded a school and synagogue, and he taught European rabbinical thought to Georgian Jews. Today, the synagogue Khvolis founded sits abandoned on a desolate street with what appears to be a hole from an artillery shell in its facade. On Sundays, Baptist services are held there. |
||
| ⚫ | According to the Soviet censuses of 1926 and 1939 there were about 2000 Jews in South Ossetia, all but a few in Tskhinvali. As late as 1926 almost a third of the town's inhabitants were Jews. Their number declined later as they moved to bigger cities of Soviet Union or [[Aliyah from the Soviet Union in the 1970s|emigrated]] to [[Israel]] or other countries.<ref>[http://www.ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru/rnsossetia.html Census results for South Ossetia]</ref><ref name="jta1"/> |
||
==Sources and references== |
|||
"Georgia's Jewish heritage imperiled with talk of war" Matt Siegel. Jewish Telegraphic Agency Feb. 27, 2008 |
|||
Most of the Jewish population fled South Ossetia for Israel and Georgia proper during the [[1991–1992 South Ossetia War|First Ossetian War]] in 1991. The remainder fled in advance of the [[2008 South Ossetia war|2008 war]].<ref name="jta1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.jta.org/archive/georgias-jewish-heritage-imperiled-with-talk-of-war|title=Georgia's Jewish Heritage Imperiled with Talk of War|last=Siegel|first=Matt|publisher=[[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]]|date=2008-02-27}}</ref> As of September 2018, only one Jew remained in South Ossetia, a single elderly woman living in [[Tskhinvali]] called Rebecca Jinjikhashvili, known to locals as 'Rybka', her childhood name.<ref name="rt">{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS-7xYzrU7M|title=Last Jew in South Ossetia|date=2008-09-15|website=[[YouTube]]|publisher=Russia Today}}</ref><ref name="jamn">{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v_5hlk6GvA|title=Tskhinvali's old 'Jewish Quarter'|date=2018-09-24|website=[[YouTube]]|publisher=JAM News}}</ref> |
|||
"Last Jew in S. Ossetia" Russia Today Sept. 15, 2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS-7xYzrU7M |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
"Jews will come back to S. Ossetia" Russia Today Sept. 26, 2008 http://www.russiatoday.com/ossetianwar/news/30985 |
|||
[[File:Tskhinvali synagogue1.jpg|thumb|right|A building in former Jewish quarter of Tskhinvali]] |
|||
* [[History of the Jews in Georgia]] |
|||
* [[History of the Jews in Abkhazia]] |
|||
==References== |
|||
{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
||
| ⚫ | |||
* [[Georgian Jews]] |
|||
==External links== |
==External links== |
||
Jewish news of Greater Phoenix online, [http://www.jewishaz.com/issues/story.mv?080815+georgia Jews caught on both sides of Georgia-Russia fighting], August 15, 2008 |
* Jewish news of Greater Phoenix online, [http://www.jewishaz.com/issues/story.mv?080815+georgia Jews caught on both sides of Georgia-Russia fighting], August 15, 2008 |
||
{{History of the Jews in Europe}} |
{{History of the Jews in Europe}} |
||
{{Asia topic|History of the Jews in}} |
{{Asia topic|History of the Jews in}} |
||
[[Category:History of South Ossetia|Jewish]] |
|||
[[Category: |
[[Category:Tskhinvali|Jews]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:Jewish Georgian history|South Ossetia]] |
||
[[Category:History of the Jews in Europe by country|South Ossetia]] |
|||
[[Category:Religion in South Ossetia]] |
|||
[[tr:Güney Osetya'daki Yahudilerin tarihi]] |
|||
Latest revision as of 04:18, 13 April 2024
 Location of South Ossetia in Asia | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
 South Ossetia: 1 (2013)[1][2] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Tskhinvali | |
| Languages | |
| Russian | |
| Religion | |
| Judaism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Jews (Abkhaz Jews, Georgian Jews) |
| Part of a series on |
| Jews and Judaism |
|---|
The history of the Jews in South Ossetia is connected to the history of the Jews in Georgia. Much of the early Jewish history in South Ossetia is similar to that of other Jewish communities in the Georgian region. At the same time, the South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali was known for its sizable Georgian Jewish population, where the community had its own quarter.
Connection with Georgian Jews[edit]
The history of the Jews in Georgia is over 2,500 years old. Georgian Jews (Georgian: ქართველი ებრაელები, romanized: kartveli ebraelebi) are one of the oldest communities in Georgia, tracing their migration into the country during the Babylonian captivity in 6th century BC.[3] Prior to Georgia's annexation by Russia, the 2,600-year history of the Georgian Jews was marked by an almost total absence of antisemitism and a visible assimilation in the Georgian language and culture.[4] The Georgian Jews were considered ethnically and culturally distinct from neighboring Mountain Jews.[5] They were also traditionally a highly separate group from the Ashkenazi Jews in Georgia, who arrived following the Russian annexation of Georgia.
Modern history[edit]
In 1891, an Ashkenazi rabbi Avraham Khvolis moved to Tskhinvali from Lithuania. In Tskhinvali, Khvolis founded a school and synagogue, and he taught European rabbinical thought to Georgian Jews. Today, the synagogue Khvolis founded sits abandoned on a desolate street with what appears to be a hole from an artillery shell in its facade. On Sundays, Baptist services are held there.
According to the Soviet censuses of 1926 and 1939 there were about 2000 Jews in South Ossetia, all but a few in Tskhinvali. As late as 1926 almost a third of the town's inhabitants were Jews. Their number declined later as they moved to bigger cities of Soviet Union or emigrated to Israel or other countries.[6][7]
Most of the Jewish population fled South Ossetia for Israel and Georgia proper during the First Ossetian War in 1991. The remainder fled in advance of the 2008 war.[7] As of September 2018, only one Jew remained in South Ossetia, a single elderly woman living in Tskhinvali called Rebecca Jinjikhashvili, known to locals as 'Rybka', her childhood name.[1][2]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Last Jew in South Ossetia". YouTube. Russia Today. 2008-09-15.
- ^ a b "Tskhinvali's old 'Jewish Quarter'". YouTube. JAM News. 2018-09-24.
- ^ The Wellspring of Georgian Historiography: The Early Medieval Historical Chronicle The Conversion of Katli and The Life of St. Nino, Constantine B. Lerner, England: Bennett and Bloom, London, 2004, p. 60
- ^ Forget Atlanta - this is the Georgia on my mind By Jewish Discoveries and Harry D. Wall Feb. 7, 2015, Haaretz
- ^ Mountain Jews: customs and daily life in the Caucasus, Leʼah Miḳdash-Shemaʻʼilov, Liya Mikdash-Shamailov, Muzeʼon Yiśraʼel (Jerusalem), UPNE, 2002, page 9
- ^ Census results for South Ossetia
- ^ a b Siegel, Matt (2008-02-27). "Georgia's Jewish Heritage Imperiled with Talk of War". Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
External links[edit]
- Jewish news of Greater Phoenix online, Jews caught on both sides of Georgia-Russia fighting, August 15, 2008
