Jewish sources in Soviet Georgia have indignantly denied reports in the Israeli press that a number of Georgian families who emigrated to Israel have petitioned for permission to return to the USSR. In some of the reports, the number of families said to be seeking repatriation was put at 200. But the sources said there was no basis for such reports. They said information reaching Georgia from emigres in Israel indicated that there were no returnees or prospective returnees. The sources said that one or two “agents provocateur” have infiltrated the emigres from Georgia and might now pose as returnees.
Some sources in Israel said that Communist provocateurs have been trying to foment discontent among Georgian immigrants who have grievances against immigration authorities and try to induce them to write despairing letters to relatives in the USSR. The sources in Georgia noted that aliya from there began only last Sept, and the new arrivals hardly had time to assess their condition and prospects in Israel, much less petition for return if indeed they ever considered it. The sources recalled that a number of Jews emigrated to Israel from Georgia in 1967 and that none have returned.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
