Chabad Lubavitch of Monaco
Chabad-Lubavitch in Monaco: the Jewish Cultural Center of Monaco run by Tanhoum and Chani Matusof, one of the principality's two synagogues, and its 2017 hosting, with Berel Lazar's Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, of more than 1,000 young Jews from the former Soviet Union
| Chabad Lubavitch of Monaco
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| Type | Jewish religious organisation (Chabad-Lubavitch) |
| Headquarters | Monaco |
| Location | 3 Avenue du Berceau, 98000 Monaco (given by Chabad headquarters as 3 Rue du Berceau) |
| Area served | Monaco |
| Services | Synagogue services in English, ritual bath (mikveh), classes, women's circle, children's and youth programmes, holiday events, kosher food |
| Key people | Tanhoum Matusof and Chani Matusof (emissaries) |
| Website | https://www.jccmonaco.com |
| Remarks | Operates as the Jewish Cultural Center of Monaco (JCCM) |
Chabad Lubavitch of Monaco, which operates as the Jewish Cultural Center of Monaco (JCCM), is the Chabad-Lubavitch centre in Monaco. It is run by Rabbi Tanhoum Matusof and his wife, Chani.[1][2] It is one of the principality's two synagogues, alongside the Synagogue Edmond Safra.[2] No founding date for the centre has been found.
History
In May 2017 more than 1,000 young Jews from the former Soviet Union visited Monaco on the Eurostars programme of Berel Lazar's Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia. CrownHeights.info reported that the event, described as the largest Jewish gathering in Monaco's history, was hosted by the local Jewish community and organised by its president, Aaron Frenkel, with Tanhoum Matusof and Lazar. It was held at Monaco's congress centre and attended by the government minister Serge Telle and by Alexander Boroda, president of the federation.[3]
Activities
In 2020 the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that the Chabad synagogue was on the ground floor of a residential building, with a prayer hall for about 80 people and about 200 regular congregants, and that services were held in English for the many members who did not speak French. Its congregation included Russian-speaking business owners, Israeli entrepreneurs and French- and English-speaking Jews with ties to banking, and some wealthy members said they preferred it to the Safra synagogue for its younger, more international membership. Matusof said: "The Jews who live here don't come to us for material reasons, they tend to be well-off". The centre has a ritual bath (mikveh) that JTA said resembled "a prestigious spa", and sometimes holds holiday events in hotels.[2]
The JCCM website lists prayers and classes, a women's circle, holiday and special events, children's and youth programmes, a ritual bath and kosher services. As of October 2026 it said that all prayers were being held at the Hotel Fairmont Monte Carlo.[4]
Size of the Jewish community
Sources differ on the size of Monaco's Jewish community. In 2017 CrownHeights.info quoted Lazar as saying Monaco "has only a few hundred Jews".[3] In 2020 the Jewish Telegraphic Agency put the figure at about 2,000, in a total population of about 38,600.[2]
Centres
The JCCM gives its address as 3 Avenue du Berceau, 98000 Monaco;[5] Chabad headquarters lists Chabad Lubavitch of Monaco at 3 Rue du Berceau, Monte Carlo.[1]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Monte Carlo – Centers", Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters (lubavitch.com), accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Outside of Israel, tiny Monaco has the highest ratio of Jews in the world. Here's why the community is growing.", Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 1 October 2020.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Tiny Monaco Has Largest-Ever Jewish Gathering", CrownHeights.info, 8 May 2017.
- ↑ Jewish Cultural Center of Monaco, home page, accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ "About Us", Jewish Cultural Center of Monaco, accessed 23 October 2026.