Saakashvili. Attended ceremony
צילום: AFP
Georgian leader praises opening of synagogue
President Mikhail Saakashvili hails Jewish place of worship in Tbilisi as a sign of country's multiculturalism
A new synagogue has opened in the capital of Georgia, and President Mikhail Saakashvili is hailing it as a sign of the country's multiculturalism.
Saakashvili attended Tuesday's ceremony at the Jewish place of worship in Tbilisi.
Bringing in Torah scroll (Photo: AP)
Georgia is predominantly Orthodox Christian, but the country's Western-oriented government cultivates a reputation for religious tolerance.
Georgia's Jewish community now numbers only about 13,000 in the country of 5 million, but it exceeded 100,000 in the 1970s. Tens of thousands of Georgian Jews have immigrated to Israel.
With Tuesday's opening, there are now two synagogues in Georgia's capital.
