The history of Jews in Georgia spans not centuries, but
millennia, and the first official information about their settlement
in Kutaisi dates back to 1644. The Jewish quarter is still in the
central part of the city. Three synagogues are located on its
territory. The largest (second largest in Georgia) synagogue
was built in 1886. The other, which dates back to 1912, is
surrounded by ancillary buildings. Hebrew was taught here,
various Jewish rituals were performed. There was a bakery
here, where "matsa" (Passover bread) was baked. Jews from
Kutaisi made a great contribution to the development of the city.
During the repatriation of Soviet Jews to Israel in the 60s of the
20th century, the main part of the local community left the city.
In 2014, a monument to Boris Gaponov, the Hebrew translator
of "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" was erected at the
entrance of the main synagogue.