Jewish Oni | World Jewish Travel

Jewish city story of Oni

Oni, located in western Georgia, is a town in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region and is surrounded by high mountains. Oni Jews inhabited the city in the 18th century after the annexation of Georgia by Russia. In old times a lot of Jewish families lived there; at some point Oni was the most inhabited Georgian region by Jews. In 1972 the Jewish population was 3500.

Despite post-Soviet tendency towards migration, Oni still retains a small number of Jewish families - remnants of once powerful and large historic Jewish communities. Some of Jewish inhabitants are a part of one big family: Abraham and Simon are cousins. The main Street of Jewish district is called Baazov Street, where David Baazov used to live in 1903-1923 years; today this street is on the verge of destruction. David Baazov became the Rabbi of Oni, in 1904, after he returned to Georgia from Slutsk, where he studied.

Baazov...

THE BEST OF Oni

Tours

Georgia Jewish Heritage Tour

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Hotels

Guest House Gallery

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אתרים מומלצים Sites to see

Sites

Oni Synagogue

The synagogue, which was built in 1895 in an eclectic style, is located in Oni, on 53 Vakhtang VI Street; it is Georgia’s third largest synagogue after the Great Synagogue of Tbilisi and the synagogue of Kutaisi. It also is the oldest functioning synagogue in Georgia. In 1991 a big earthquake took place in Oni which destroyed the smaller synagogue and damaged the big one. Jewish organizations, JDC and former president Eduard Shevardnadze, all collectively helped renovate the big synagogue. Its style is Historicism Neo-Moorish, the construction material is limestone, it is in fair condition but currently it is inactive. On November 7 of 2006 the synagogue was given a category of the national real cultural monument out of which national status was given by the president of Georgia, while the cultural status – by the “Ministry of Culture and Sports of Georgia”.

Sites

Lailashi Synagogue

The Lailashi Synagogue was built in the 1860s and was active until the 1970s. Its construction material is stone but the condition of building fabric is poor. The community of the Synagogue is Georgian Jews but at the moment it is abandoned. The Synagogue was used as a regional Synagogue and it kept the Lailashi Bible from the 10th century. It has a status of cultural monument given by “Ministry of Culture and Sports of Georgia”.

Sites

Jewish Graveyard in Lailashi

There were two Jewish graveyards in Lailashi, but only one remains active nowadays. Jewish Graveyard, which is 100 years old, is located between the village of Ghu and Lailashi. Currently, the cemetery is not fenced, but it is well maintained. The Jewish inscriptions on the tombstones are readable. The cemetery has been inactive since 1975, but several Jews were buried here from Kutaisi in the 1980s.

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Tours of Oni

Tours

Georgia Jewish Heritage Tour

Discover the fascinating 2,000+ year history of Georgia’s Jewish community as you visit several major Jewish settlements and their beautiful synagogues on this 9-day Jewish tour of Georgia. Learn about the origins and history of Jews in the country, how Jewish people have practiced their faith and culture here over many years, and how the community endured during the years of Soviet repression. Get to know Georgia’s small, but vibrant, community of Jews today – meet the locals and find out about their lifestyle and institutions, taste traditional Georgian-Jewish dishes, and hear the unique Judeo-Georgian language. In addition, explore some of Georgia’s other historical and tourism highlights.

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מסעדות בסגנון יהודי JEWISH STYLE RESTAURANTS

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קראו עוד בלוגים וספרים אלקטרוניים READ MORE BLOGS AND EBOOKS

World Jewish Travel Official February 17, 2024

The Jewish Story of Oni, Georgia

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Hotels in Oni

Hotels

Guest House Gallery

This guest house is located in the centre of Oni, near the forested area, 200 m from the Rioni River. It features handmade furnishings designed by the host and is decorated with paintings created by his wife. The bright rooms at Gallery Guest House offer rustic-style interiors and traditional Georgian décor. Some rooms have a private bathroom, and the shared facilities are in the hallway. Homemade traditional Georgian meals can be served upon request, including homemade wine (produced in Qvevri) and Chacha, produced in the guest house's wine-vanult. Guest House Gallery provides free bikes. The large, picturesque garden of the guest house includes various fruit trees and flowers. Guided hiking tours to the picturesque waterfalls, lakes and caves of the Racha Region can also be organised for guests. Kutaisi Airport is 120 km from Gallery Guest House. Property offers shuttle services with an additional charge.

Hotels

Guest House Okronishi

Guest House Okronishi, located 0.3 miles from Spring pool, features free WiFi in the rooms. The venue comprises 9 rooms. The hotel offers free parking on site. Located in Lailashi, this property is a 70-minute drive to Borjomi. Within a 30-minute drive of the accommodation, guests can visit Ushguli.

Hotels

Orion Hotel

This hotel in Georgia’s Racha region is considered to be located at the great location, right in the middle of Oni. Hotel is clean and tidy, every room has its own bathroom, as well as free Wi-Fi. We started from one simple Idea in one of the most beautiful mountainous region in Georgia ,Racha opening 3star hotel in the center on Oni, receiving a lot of questions if we had hotel in the capital, the management decided to open more hotels in Tbilisi.

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