David Baazov
Encyclopedia
David Baazov (1883–1947) was a Georgian-Jewish
public and religious figure who spearheaded Zionist
movement in Georgia
. His program was an amalgam of moderate orthodox religiosity, enlightenment, and Zionism.
He was born in Tskhinvali
, Georgia (then part of the Russian Empire
) into a family of rabbi
s. He was educated in Jewish philosophy and history at Slutsk
and Vilnius
where he became exposed to Zionist ideas. In 1903, he attended the Sixth Zionist Congress in Basel
. Returning to Georgia, Baazov became a rabbi in the town of Oni
and quickly emerged as a leader of Zionism in Georgia. His growing influence was opposed by a group of anti-Zionist rabbis and the so-called "assimilationist" Jewish intellectuals who put forward the thesis that the Georgian Jews were ethnic Georgians
and "Israelites by religion." In 1918, Baazov founded the first Georgian-Jewish Zionist paper ebraelis khma ("The Voice of Jew") and helped organize the All-Jewish Congress in Tbilisi
which included representatives from every Georgian and Russian Jewish community in the country, except for Kutaisi, which had become the center of the Jewish anti-Zionism. At that time, he served as a rabbi in Akhaltsikhe
and exploited his friendly ties with a local Muslim
clergy to save many Christians during a brief Ottoman
occupation of the area in 1918. After the Sovietization
of Georgia in 1921, Baazov aided by his son, the leading Georgian-Jewish writer Gerzel Baazov
organized Jewish schools across the country and later founded the magazine makaveeli ("Maccabean") which was closed by the Soviet authorities during a crackdown on Georgian Jewish cultural institutions after the 1924 anti-Soviet August Uprising in Georgia. Next year, he managed to secure the free passage to several Georgian Jewish families to the Land of Israel
, launching the first large wave of Aliyah
from Georgia. During the purge
of 1938, both of his sons were arrested by the Soviet NKVD
and Gerzel was executed. Soon, David Baazov was also arrested and sentenced to death for "Zionist activities", the sentence was later commuted to exile in Siberia
. In 1945, he returned to the Georgian SSR and chiefly engaged in education activities.
The main writer on David Baazov and the main collector of his works was his daughter Fanny Baazova (1912–1980). The Georgian Jews' History Museum in Tbilisi has been named after him.
Georgian Jews
The Georgian Jews are from the nation of Georgia, in the Caucasus...
public and religious figure who spearheaded Zionist
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
movement in Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. His program was an amalgam of moderate orthodox religiosity, enlightenment, and Zionism.
He was born in Tskhinvali
Tskhinvali
Tskhinvali , is the capital of South Ossetia, a disputed region which has been recognised as an independent Republic by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru, and is regarded by Georgia and the rest of the world as part of the Shida Kartli region within Georgian sovereign territory.It is located...
, Georgia (then part of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
) into a family of rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
s. He was educated in Jewish philosophy and history at Slutsk
Slutsk
Slutsk is a town in Belarus, located on the Sluch River south of Minsk. As of 2010 its population is of 61,400).-Geography:The town is situated in the south-west of its Voblast, not too far from from the city of Soligorsk.-History:...
and Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
where he became exposed to Zionist ideas. In 1903, he attended the Sixth Zionist Congress in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. Returning to Georgia, Baazov became a rabbi in the town of Oni
Oni, Georgia
Oni is a town in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region , Georgia. Historically and ethnographically, it is part of Racha, a historic highland province in western Georgia...
and quickly emerged as a leader of Zionism in Georgia. His growing influence was opposed by a group of anti-Zionist rabbis and the so-called "assimilationist" Jewish intellectuals who put forward the thesis that the Georgian Jews were ethnic Georgians
Georgians
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
and "Israelites by religion." In 1918, Baazov founded the first Georgian-Jewish Zionist paper ebraelis khma ("The Voice of Jew") and helped organize the All-Jewish Congress in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
which included representatives from every Georgian and Russian Jewish community in the country, except for Kutaisi, which had become the center of the Jewish anti-Zionism. At that time, he served as a rabbi in Akhaltsikhe
Akhaltsikhe
Akhaltsikhe is a small city in Georgia's southwestern region of Samtskhe-Javakheti. It is situated on the both banks of a small river Potskhovi, which separates the city to the old city in the north and new in the south. The name of the city translates from Georgian as "new fortress".- History...
and exploited his friendly ties with a local Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
clergy to save many Christians during a brief Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
occupation of the area in 1918. After the Sovietization
Sovietization
Sovietization is term that may be used with two distinct meanings:*the adoption of a political system based on the model of soviets .*the adoption of a way of life and mentality modelled after the Soviet Union....
of Georgia in 1921, Baazov aided by his son, the leading Georgian-Jewish writer Gerzel Baazov
Gerzel Baazov
Gerzel Baazov was a Georgian Jewish poet and playwright who fell victim to Stalin’s Great Purges.He was born in Oni, Georgia into the family of the leading Georgian Zionist David Baazov. At the age of 14, he published his first poems under the penname of Ger-Bi...
organized Jewish schools across the country and later founded the magazine makaveeli ("Maccabean") which was closed by the Soviet authorities during a crackdown on Georgian Jewish cultural institutions after the 1924 anti-Soviet August Uprising in Georgia. Next year, he managed to secure the free passage to several Georgian Jewish families to the Land of Israel
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel is the Biblical name for the territory roughly corresponding to the area encompassed by the Southern Levant, also known as Canaan and Palestine, Promised Land and Holy Land. The belief that the area is a God-given homeland of the Jewish people is based on the narrative of the...
, launching the first large wave of Aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
from Georgia. During the purge
Great Purge
The Great Purge was a series of campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin from 1936 to 1938...
of 1938, both of his sons were arrested by the Soviet NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
and Gerzel was executed. Soon, David Baazov was also arrested and sentenced to death for "Zionist activities", the sentence was later commuted to exile in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. In 1945, he returned to the Georgian SSR and chiefly engaged in education activities.
The main writer on David Baazov and the main collector of his works was his daughter Fanny Baazova (1912–1980). The Georgian Jews' History Museum in Tbilisi has been named after him.