Conflict sparks Georgian aliyah

Jewish Agency receives appeals from 60 Jews living in war-torn region requesting to immigrate to Israel, even plans to arrange special flight or other transportation means from Tbilisi

Yael Branovsky|Published: 08.12.08 , 00:48

60 Jews residing in Georgia have appealed to the Jewish Agency during the past few days, requesting that it assist them in immigrating to Israel. The agency's chief in the former Soviet Union left Monday for the conflict-ridden city of Gori in order to search for Jewish families and move them to Georgia's capital, Tbilisi.

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"We have so far received 60 appeals from Jews who want to make aliyah and we have begun investigating all of the families," delegation head Alex Katz told Ynet. "We will do everything possible in order to bring them here as soon as possible. We predict the number of applicants will rise, and we are happy to help anyone who needs us." Katz is currently in Tbilisi.

An emergency debate was held on Monday on the issue of the Georgian refugees, in the office of Immigration Absorption Minister Eli Aflalo. Jewish Agency Chairman Zeev Bielski and head of the Georgian immigrants' association Aharon Alashvili participated in the debate, as well as other officials.

Bielski said during the debate that aside from the 60 Jews that requested to make aliyah, 200 others have asked to receive information on the option of doing so in the near future. "We will not rely on regular flights and the agency will charter its own flights from Tbilisi," he said.

Foreign Ministry Deputy Director-General Shmuel Ben-Shmuel reported that there were other options of transportation aside from flights, specifically the transfer of Jews to Israel through Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey.

Aflalo directed the ministry to prepare for two waves of immigrants, the first of which is scheduled to arrive within the next two weeks. The next wave is expected within the next two months. He also determined that the new immigrants would be included in the 'Community Immigration' program, through which they will be eligible to receive financial aid for housing, language studies, and employment acquisition.