← Back to Tours

Georgia's 26 centuries of Jewish life in 4 days

⏱ October 1, 11 am, to October 4, 8 pm. 📍 Tbilisi, Mtskheta, Surami, Kareli, Atskuri, Akhaltsikhe, Oni, Lailashi and Sadmeli

Nestled in the heart of the Caucasus Mountains, at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, is a small country with an extraordinary Jewish Story. Home to 33 synagogues and 67 Jewish heritage sites, it is one of the few places in the world where the Jewish population grew by the thousands during the Holocaust. That country is Georgia, and it is my home. A country where Jews were never subjected to persecution, ghettos, or expulsion, and where their history became a story of belonging. From October 1 to 4, 2026, I invite you to discover this unique world through my eyes, as a Georgian and a full-time scholar of Jewish studies, as we celebrate Sukkot and Simchat Torah together. Designed to take you beyond guidebooks, textbooks, AI-generated content, disinformation, and the noise of everyday life, this journey offers a deeper understanding of Georgia and its rich Jewish mosaic. Through walking tours, hikes to ancient fortresses, traditional dance and polyphonic song, Shabbat dinner, visits to wineries, synagogues, and museums, and encounters with breathtaking landscapes, you will experience a culture unlike any other. These four days, shared with a small group of just 13 participants, promise joy, meaningful connections, and unforgettable memories.

Starting from

€ 495.00

Available Dates

Thursday, October 1, 2026 11:00 AM • English

€ 495.00

Number of Participants

Total

Book Now

Please select a date to continue

About This Tour

A country where Jews were never subjected to persecution, ghettos, or expulsion, and where their history became a story of belonging. From October 1 to 4, 2026, I invite you to discover this unique world through my eyes, as a Georgian and a full-time scholar of Jewish studies, as we celebrate Sukkot and Simchat Torah together.

Designed to take you beyond guidebooks, textbooks, AI-generated content, disinformation, and the noise of everyday life, this journey offers a deeper understanding of Georgia and its rich Jewish mosaic. Through walking tours, hikes to ancient fortresses, traditional dance and polyphonic song, Shabbat dinner, visits to wineries, synagogues, and museums, and encounters with breathtaking landscapes, you will experience a culture unlike any other. These four days, shared with a small group of just 13 participants, promise joy, meaningful connections, and unforgettable memories.

🗓️ Day 1 (Thursday, October 1)

We will spend Day 1 exploring Tbilisi's rich Jewish heritage, through two curated walking tours. The first will take us through Petkhaini - the historic Jewish Quarter, where we will explore how Jewish life thrived in Tbilisi for centuries. We will also visit the Great Synagogue and the David Baazov Museum of History of the Jews of Georgia.

The second walk will take us to the Jewish cemetery of Tbilisi, the resting place of Georgia's and Armenia's chief rabbis, celebrated actors and actresses of the city's Yiddish theatre, and even relatives of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. More than a cemetery, it is a remarkable testament to Jewish faith, history, and craftsmanship.

In the evening we will gather at my favourite Tbilisian restaurant to enjoy exceptional Georgian hospitality, traditional cuisine, song and dance. After this rich and memorable day, participants will settle into a cozy guesthouse in Old Tbilisi.

🗓️ Day 2 (Friday, October 2)

Early morning, following breakfast, we will depart Tbilisi for a journey south to Mtskheta, Kareli, and Surami. Along the way, we will follow in the footsteps of the first Jewish settlement in Georgia, whose history stretches back to 586 BCE.

In southern Georgia, we will stop at the historic Atskuri fortress and enjoy a traditional lunch accompanied by kosher wine. The site is also home to a remarkable cemetery, where the tombstones are designed as replicas of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, creating a unique fusion of local craftsmanship and Jewish tradition.

By evening, we will arrive in the beautiful town of Akhaltsikhe, a historic frontier between Georgia and the Ottoman Empire. There, beside the oldest surviving synagogue in Georgia, we will welcome Shabbat together with members of the local Jewish community. Following a festive Shabbat dinner filled with Georgian toasts, songs, and hospitality, participants will settle into a cozy guesthouse overlooking Rabati Castle.

🗓️ Day 3 (Saturday, October 3)

Few experiences compare to a peaceful Shabbat breakfast in the shadow of a medieval castle, overlooking the breathtaking Georgian Highlands. A short walk through the castle grounds will bring centuries of Georgian history to life, tracing the legacies of the Persian, Ottoman, and Russian Empires, the Soviet era, and Georgia's long struggle for independence and survival.

Our efforts will be rewarded at lunch with a traditional Georgian cooking class and wine tasting, offering a hands-on introduction to the country's renowned culinary traditions. Carrying with us memories of medieval fortresses and historic Jewish quarters, we will then journey to Oni, in the northwestern highlands of Georgia. There, participants will settle into a cozy guesthouse beside the magnificent Oni Synagogue, one of the country's most iconic Jewish landmarks. It will be the perfect setting to prepare for a day devoted to exploring Jewish life in the Georgian mountains.

🗓️ Day 4 (Sunday, October 4)

What better way to awaken on the joyous holiday of Simchat Torah than with a visit to Lailashi, home to the oldest surviving Torah Scroll in Georgia, known as the Lailashi Codex? Lailashi and Oni are among the most enchanting places in the country, blessed with breathtaking mountain scenery, extraordinary Jewish heritage, and some of Georgia's most unique synagogues.

Our day will also take us to the local Sadmeli Winery, perched high above the surrounding valleys, seemingly suspended among the clouds. This area was once traversed by generations of Georgian Jews, making it both a place of natural beauty and a living link to the region's Jewish past. We will close out our day with a farewell dinner, reflecting on the experiences, friendships, and discoveries of the past four days, before returning that evening to Tbilisi.

In a time when antisemitism and hatred are once again on the rise in many parts of the world, I hope this visit will leave you with something rare and inspiring: the story of a country where Jewish life endured, flourished, and became an integral part of the national tapestry. A country with a happy Jewish story. A country I am proud to call home.

Enjoy the photographs from a previous tour below. My advice? Don't let this rare opportunity pass you by. Few experiences offer such a unique blend of history, culture, nature, and Jewish heritage at such an affordable price.