An Autumn in Tbilisi

An Autumn in Tbilisi was written over seven years of repeated visits and deep, sustained engagement with Georgia. Hedva Rokach and Itay Bahur began their journey without maps, without fluency in the language, and without formal guides, choosing instead to learn directly from the city of Tbilisi and its people. What begins as travel gradually becomes an ongoing process of return, familiarity, and growing understanding.
Over time, the authors absorb the rhythms of the city, its gestures, public spaces, and social nuances, engaging with a society shaped by occupation, repression, and cultural renewal. The book captures everyday life, including food, drink, customs, urban landscapes, and human relationships, forming an intimate portrait of a city experienced from within.
The narrative expands into a cultural exploration of Georgian writers and poets persecuted under Tsarist and Bolshevik rule, revealing striking parallels between Georgian and Hebrew national cultures. The book includes the only complete Hebrew translation of the central Georgian myth Amirani, translations of modern Georgian poetry, and 56 original art photographs by Hedva Rokach. Rendered in an illustrative, evocative style, the photographs create a visually rich reading experience reminiscent of classic adventure and travel books.
Blending travel writing, cultural inquiry, translation, and visual art, An Autumn in Tbilisi has become a cultural bridge for readers who want to understand Georgia not as tourists, but as attentive observers.
The book was translated into Georgian by Prof. Mamuka Butskhrikidze and published in Georgia in 2015 under the title Hedva Israelidan by Intelekti. Since then, it has appeared in multiple printings and has become a valued resource for travel guides, cultural researchers, educators, and readers interested in Georgia’s literature, history, and daily life.
Georgian Series and Cultural Context.

An Autumn in Tbilisi is the first title in a distinctive Hebrew-language series initiated by Itay Bahur Publishing, dedicated to bringing Georgian culture, literature, and history to readers through long-term, immersive engagement.

Other titles in the series include:
Tbilisi Dream by Hedva Rokach, an art book (2017)
The Georgian Jews in Georgia and in Israel by Natan Eliashvili (2017)
Aluda Ketelauri by Vazha-Pshavela (2018)
Georgian Stories: An Anthology (2019)

Today, the series stands as a unique Hebrew-language resource on Georgia, widely used in academic research, education, and cultural tourism.

Hedva Rokach is a photographer, visual artist, and writer whose work explores culture, memory, and place. For over two decades, she has focused on introducing Georgian culture to Hebrew readers. She has spent extended periods in Georgia, translated and published Georgian literature, and led masterclasses at Georgian academic institutions. Her art books include Tbilisi Dream (2017), Dolls, Wadi Ara (2025), and Faces and Shades of Jewish Life in Maine (2026).

Itay Bahur is a writer and publisher specializing in literary nonfiction and documentary storytelling. For more than twenty years, he has researched, translated, and published works on Georgian culture and literature, combining long-term fieldwork in Georgia with academic and editorial collaboration. His work bridges scholarship and narrative, bringing overlooked cultural histories to a wider readership.