Georgian Shliach Takes ‘Revenge’

By COLlive reporter

Like in many cities around the world, a farbrengen event celebrating the Chassidic New Year and the day of liberation of the first Chabad Rebbe was held in the Georgian capital of Tibilisi.

Only, the location was most meaningful.

It took place in the former residence of Lavrentiy Beria, who was Marshal of the Soviet Union, chief of the Soviet security and secret police apparatus (NKVD) during World War II, and Deputy Premier in the postwar years (1946–53).

As the longest lived and most influential of Joseph Stalin‘s secret police chiefs, Beria was in command while scores of Lubavitcher chassidim were prosecuted, exiled, tortured and murdered for keeping Judaism alive.

His birthplace in Tibilisi is a registered historical site and is closed to the public. When Rabbi Meir Kozlovsky, Chabad Shliach in Georgia, heard that it was recently purchased by a private company, he asked the owner for access.

The owner agreed to the rare request to hold a farbrengen there, marking the chassidic holiday of redemption and symbolizing the victory of light over darkness.

About 200 members of the local Jewish community attended, said L’chaim and were inspired by the guest speaker from Israel who has Georgian roots, Rabbi Yitshak Kricheli.

Rabbi Kozlovsky used the oppurtunity to also print a local edition of the Tanya, the central text of Chabad chassidism authored by the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, who was jailed by the Czarist regime.