The Vaad L’Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel under the spiritual guidance of Rabbi Matisyahu Solomon Shlita, today released an important travel advisory.
In light of the ongoing military action between Russia and Georgia, all Vaad sponsored Kiruv trips by American, Israeli and British Kolleleit, Shlichim and Bochurim to the cities of Tblisi, Gori and surrounding areas are canceled untill further notice.
Due to the travel advisories issued by the State Department no one is to proceed with their previously made travel plans till further notice. All Shlichim are directed to call the office of the Vaad and await further instructions.They are not to proceed with their previously made travel plans to the Kiruv Summer camps, even those that are now in progress, as those programs are now altered.
The Kiruv activities for the Georgian City of Gori have been completely canceled and the Yidden there are being evacuated to Tblisi the Capitol of Georgia.
In light of the flight of Jews from the City of Gori to Tblisi and other safer parts of Georgia, the Vaad has established an emergency humanitarian campaign for Hatzolah of Georgian Jewry.
Those who wish to contribute may contact the Vaad L’Hatzolas Nidchei Yisroel at 718-252-5974.
(Related stories can be found by clicking HERE, HERE, and HERE.)
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5 Responses
We must daven for their safety and welfare
I did not realize that they had kiruv stuff going on there, other than lubavitch.
I just read elsewhere that the chabad shlichim are staying on and continuing their work, as they do in other countries that are going through things like this and worse.
BS”D
To the best of my knowledge, Chabad has a permanent shaliach only in Tbilisi. He was either born there or his parents were; he is a member of a big extended family that became chassidei Chabad during World War 2 when Lubavitchers fled to Gruziya from Russia and Ukraine.
I don’t know where Chabad has their summer camps in Gruziya, but the war zone is also the summer resort zone (the Catskills or Jersey Shore of Gruziya :)). However, Chabad probably gets counselors for their Gruziya camps from E”Y and not from the US.
Aguda (Vaad) has always been active in Gruziya; it is one of the locations in the FSU where they do some very good work.
The Vaad makes very little noise but does an unbelievable amount of work. The whole Jewish community in Tbilisi is based on the vaads mosdos. I know I’ve been there.
i took a car service today, and driver (from azerbaijan) told me 13 drivers from his company are going to georgia to fight against the russians!
(though actually, this is all a us setup — rice was just in georgia for two days before going to beijing! and the truth is, the georgian attacked first, though they may be justified)