{{Expand Hebrew|topic=geo|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox settlement |official_name = Kulashi |native_name = {{lang|ka|კულაში}} |settlement_type = Town |image_skyline = |imagesize = |pushpin_map = Georgia#Georgia Imereti |mapsize = 280px |pushpin_map_caption = Location of Kulashi in Georgia##Location of Kulashi in Imereti |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = {{GEO}} |subdivision_type1 = Mkhare |subdivision_name1 = Imereti |subdivision_type2 = District |subdivision_name2 = Samtredia District |area_magnitude = |area_total_km2 = |area_land_km2 = |area_water_km2 = |population_as_of = 2014 |population_footnotes = |population_total = 1,702 |population_density_km2 = |blank1_name = Climate |blank1_info = Cfa |timezone = Georgian Time |utc_offset = +4 |timezone_DST = <!-- No DST in Georgia since 2005 --> |utc_offset_DST = |coordinates = {{coord|42|12|15|N|42|20|44|E|region:GE|display=inline,title}} |elevation_m = |website = |footnotes = | pushpin_relief = y | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 15 | mapframe-wikidata = yes }}

'''Kulashi''' ({{lang-ka|კულაში}} {{IPA|ka|kʼuɫäʃi|}}) is a small town (''daba'') in Imereti, Georgia with a population of around 1,702 as of 2014.<ref name="აღწერა 2014">{{cite web |url=http://www.geostat.ge/index.php?action=page&p_id=2152&lang=geo |title=მოსახლეობის საყოველთაო აღწერა 2014 |date=November 2014 |publisher=საქართველოს სტატისტიკის ეროვნული სამსახური |access-date=7 November 2016}}</ref> It is located 5&nbsp;km from the town of Samtredia. It first appears in the 16th century records as a fief of the Mikeladze family. It was granted the status of ''daba'' in 1961.

Kulashi had formerly been a home to one of the largest Georgian Jewish communities, whose size has significantly decreased due to several waves of Jewish expatriation to Israel.<ref>Gachechiladze, Revaz G. (1995), ''The New Georgia: Space, Society, Politics'', p. 94. Texas A&M University Press, {{ISBN|0-89096-703-2}}.</ref> As such, it had sometimes been referred to as the "Jerusalem of Georgia". Among the prominent Jews who came from Kulashi are Chabad Rabbi Yehuda Butrushvili (known in Yiddish as Yudel Kulasher), Ephraim Gur and businessman {{ill|Merab Elashvili|he|מרב אלשווילי}}.<ref name="nrg-benmoshe">{{cite web|url=https://www.makorrishon.co.il/nrg/online/1/ART2/530/727.html|title=המיליונר הסודי: מוטי בן משה מנסה להשתלט על תאגיד אי.די.בי|trans-title=The Secret Millionaire: Moti Ben-Moshe Is Trying to Take Control of IDB|author=Leibovich-Dar, Sarah|work=nrg|publisher=Makor Rishon|date=December 14, 2013|access-date=December 10, 2019|language=he}}</ref>

==See also== * Imereti

== References == {{reflist}}

{{Cities and towns in Georgia (country)}} {{authority control}} Category:Cities and towns in Imereti Category:Populated places in Samtredia Municipality

{{Georgia-geo-stub}}