Meet the Leader Sparking Joy in Georgia’s Jewish Community

Valentin “Vito” Lubenets is a force of nature. A role model for young Jews and something like a grandson to elderly Jews, 35-year-old Lubenets is a beloved and tireless leader in his local Georgian Jewish community. As JDC’s manager of innovation projects in his hometown of Tbilisi, Lubenets creates dynamic programs that are powering Jewish life in the city and beyond. In this Chanukah reflection, Lubenets takes us back to his childhood in 1990s Tbilisi and describes how his early years inspired him to carry the mantle of his country’s Jewish future. 

Here’s his story.

The Way We Lived Then

I wake up each morning and try to improve Jewish people’s lives — children, teenagers, adults, or the elderly … any Jew, it doesn’t matter who. I do this work because I love it. It’s my way of giving back. 

You see, my life could’ve gone in a very different direction. I grew up in what’s now called the “Dark Nineties,” a name meant both literally and figuratively. In the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union, we had no electricity, no jobs, no fun, no nothing — not even food. During the 1990s, most of the Jewish community left Georgia and ran in any direction they could.

In a way, then, we didn’t even have each other. We were losing ourselves.

I’ve thought a lot about my past and my childhood surroundings. There were a lot of difficulties and hardships all of us faced. People had become cruel. There was crime in the streets. All of this affected me greatly and I was not immune from that story. 

But it’s important to remember that what we endured — what we overcame — is also the very reason we’re so strong today. And if the 1990s didn’t break us Georgian Jews, I doubt anything will.

My Entrance into Jewish Georgia

The appearance of the Jewish community marked a turning point in my life. In our brutal circumstances, my fellow Jews were a balm. They showed me a different world — one of warmth, love, and care. 

I found out about them by accident. My grandmother used to receive JDC assistance — boxes filled with food and other essentials. These boxes were a truly unique sight: the first time I had seen someone helping us during those difficult times.

My second encounter with JDC happened when my mother became bedridden with serious health problems. Once again, in the middle of a family crisis, our fellow Jews stood by us. Through the JDC-supported Hesed Eliyahu social service center here in Tbilisi, they supplied my mother with medical equipment and medication, even hiring a nurse. For us, who could afford so little, this support was indescribable. 

By the time I was a teenager, my grandmother and mother had passed away, and I was left to fend for myself. But in the middle of this hardship, the Jewish community touched my life, too. 

They essentially became my family, and if it wasn’t for them, I’d be in a dire state today. To have food at school and youth camps where I could meet other Jews, to eat three meals a day, to travel and rest for free — this was the kind of luxury some people still dream of here in Georgia. I had all of this because Jewish people take care of one another, and continue to do so today. 

The Jewish Values That Guide Me

This notion of arevut (Jewish mutual responsibility) is the most beautiful thing about Jewish Georgia. Today, I strive to live that value by giving young people the same opportunities I was given and by being the strong Jewish mentor I was privileged to have as a teenager.  

Most days, I feel like a key that can open the door for the younger generation to embrace their heritage. I think it’s really important that this uninterrupted chain of exchange continues from one generation to the next and that we strengthen that connection in terms of identity and Jewish lifestyle.

Perhaps a better image than a key is a spark; I feel like I am igniting the flame of Jewish life in Georgia’s youngest Jews, like the shamash candle you use to light the menorah on Chanukah. 

At a JDC-supported camp I recently visited —  in the beautiful mountains of Bakuriani, Georgia — I witnessed this spark being transferred to these younger Jews. That Friday evening, the participants learned how to prepare for Shabbat, baking challah, preparing the candles, and saying the blessings. These campers came from Georgia’s most vulnerable Jewish families, and I know they’ll carry this Jewish knowledge for the rest of their lives. 

I count these moments not only as a success but as the entire point of my work. 

My Vision for Georgia’s Jewish Future

Our community encompasses Jews of all ages, and a key part of my mission is to ensure that the oldest Jews — our grandmothers and grandfathers — can live with dignity. We give them food, medicine, homecare, and access to stimulating Jewish programs. 

But beyond material aid, we give them the knowledge they’re not alone. These elderly Jews are thirsty for conversation. When we sit with them, listen to their stories, share their emotions, even for an hour, it revitalizes them. They feel happier and calmer as they unburden themselves of all the pain and loneliness they carry. And I’m convinced it helps keep them alive. 

When we speak about the future of Jewish communities, I think of my 5-year-old son — I’m very proud of my little one and I try my best to create a better future for him. 

In the same way, I try to create a better future for Jewish Georgia. I don’t know what it’s going to be like in 10 or 15 years, but my primary task is for it to get better. 

I couldn’t ask for a better partner than JDC. When it comes to empowering local communities and aiding our brothers and sisters in need, JDC is the organization that does the heaviest, most difficult work. I’m scared to even imagine what life would be like for Jews not only in Georgia but in the entire post-Soviet space if it wasn’t for their help. 

It would have been a catastrophe. And today, I can say with full conviction that a lot of Jews wouldn’t survive without JDC.

For thousands of years, Jewish communities have persisted and found their place in the world. Our strongest quality is our willingness to stand by each other no matter what. That will keep going — but only if we keep prioritizing our values and assisting the most vulnerable among us.

You’ve made this choice, and I believe that the people who spread kindness receive ten times more back. Though we can never repay what you’ve given us, with your support, we’ll continue to ignite Jewish life here in Georgia — a light that will shine even brighter for those who follow. 

Valentin Lubenets, 35, is JDC’s manager of innovation projects in Tbilisi, Georgia. 

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