[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 74 (Wednesday, June 10, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1082]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  IN HONOR OF THE CONGREGATION OF GEORGIAN JEWS' 16 YEAR ANNIVERSARY 
                              CELEBRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CHARLES E. SCHUMER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 10, 1998

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. Speaker, throughout the past twenty-six centuries 
the Georgian Jews have carried the torch of the Jewish faith, 
preserving the traditions, customs and practices of their age-old 
religion. This special unified community boasts riches of traditions 
and a unique history and interface with the world's Jewry.
  The roots of the Georgian Jewish community extend as far back as the 
sixth century BCE, where upon expulsion by the Assyrians, as well as 
the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the First Temple, a group 
of Israelites settled in the Caucasus Region, presently known as the 
Republic of Georgia. Archaeological discoveries of a number of Jewish 
settlements from the period of the destruction of the Second Temple, 
clearly establishes the continuing connection between the Georgian Jews 
and Jerusalem. Neither Ashkenazi or Sephardi in their affiliation, 
Georgian Jews represent an independent string to the Twelve Tribes of 
Israel; a string that has played an integral role in the development 
and maintenance of the Jewish identity and nationality.
  The Georgian Jews' undying devotion to the Jewish faith and 
patriotism for the Biblical Homeland continues to flourish in this 
century as well. The Georgian Jews managed to make themselves heard and 
recognized even from behind the Iron Gates of the Soviet Union in 1969, 
in the form of a letter sent to the United Nations, which demanded the 
right to emmigrate to the State of Israel. This unprecedented call for 
freedom caused the first crack of the Iron Curtain that marked the 
beginning of the ``Aliyah,'' the migration to Israel, of the oppressed 
Soviet Jewry to their beloved Homeland.
  Today, the Georgian Jews are mostly settled in the United States and 
Israel and continue to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors, 
perpetuating the religious and spiritual traditions of their heritage. 
The Synagogue has always played an integral role in the communities of 
the Georgian Jews, serving as the center of religious life and the 
spiritual source of nourishment which feeds the souls of Georgian Jews 
around the world, from Israel to Georgia to the United States.
  The Congregation of Georgian Jews in Forest Hills, New York, the main 
synagogue, represents the strength of Georgian Jews and is a beacon for 
their communities throughout the world. The synagogue is a symbol of 
the survival of the Georgian Jewry, and their dedication to their 
faith, culture and heritage.
  I want to recognize the devotion and determination of the Georgian 
Jewry that they have continually exhibited towards their religion and 
communities. The Georgian Jews are truly inspirational. I am confident 
that their communities will continue to grow and flourish, and that 
with the future of their children, the light of the past will continue 
to shine.

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