Chabad Lubavitch of Korea
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Chabad-Lubavitch in South Korea: the Litzman Chabad House in Seoul, opened in 2008 at the request of Israel's ambassador
| Chabad Lubavitch of Korea
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Chabad-Lubavitch emissary operation |
| Founded | 2008 (Seoul) |
| Founder(s) | Osher Litzman; Mussy Litzman |
| Headquarters | Seoul (Itaewon area) |
| Area served | South Korea |
| Key people | Osher Litzman; Mussy Litzman |
| Remarks | Affiliations: Rohr Family Foundation (start-up grant). |
Chabad-Lubavitch in South Korea is the Chabad-Lubavitch house in Seoul, opened in 2008 by Rabbi Osher Litzman and Mussy Litzman (also Mussia). It was South Korea's first Chabad house.[1][2] According to Chabad.org, the couple came after Israel's ambassador, Yigal Caspi, asked Chabad to set up a permanent presence.[3] Before then, local Jews used services at a US Army base.[1]
Emissaries and centre
- Osher Litzman had just finished service in the Israel Defense Forces. He and his wife learned Korean online before arriving.[1] The house received a grant from the Rohr Family Foundation.[2]
- Lubavitch.com (2018) described the house as a "Jewish Embassy" for "the 500-1000 Jews living in Seoul at any given time". It said the house is in a faux-Tudor-style building that is also the Litzmans' home.[4]
- Address rule: the building is also the emissaries' family home, so no street address is given.
- Winter Olympics 2018. The Litzmans ran a pop-up Chabad house and kosher restaurant at PyeongChang, and a "Jewish Room" in the Olympic Village.[4]
Relations with the community
Lubavitch.com lists the community as "Jewish diplomats, English teachers, businessmen, students and US army families".[4]
Relations with the state, business and Israel
- Israeli embassy. Ambassador Yigal Caspi asked visiting Lubavitch yeshiva students in 2007 for a permanent presence, and the posting followed.[1][3]
- Israeli defence industry. Lubavitch.com describes a bris for the son of an Israeli engineer working for Elbit Systems in Korea.[4]
Funding
The Rohr Family Foundation gave a start-up grant.[2] No accounts were found.
Controversies
None found in the sources consulted.
Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2007 | Israeli ambassador Yigal Caspi asks visiting Chabad students for a permanent presence |
| 2008 | Osher Litzman and Mussy Litzman arrive in Seoul before Passover |
| 2018 | Pop-up Chabad house at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics |
See also
- Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to South Korea
- Chabad Lubavitch of Japan
- Chabad Lubavitch of China
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "First Chabad House opening in S. Korea", Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 8 April 2008. Press.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "South Korea Welcomes Permanent Jewish Center", Chabad.org, April 2008. Chabad-side.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Jewish Community in Seoul Prepares for First-Ever Non-Military Services", Chabad.org, 2008. Chabad-side.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "A 'Jewish Embassy' In South Korea", Lubavitch.com, 19 February 2018. Chabad-side.