Chabad Lubavitch of Switzerland
Chabad-Lubavitch in Switzerland: the Zurich mission of Mendel and Devorah Rosenfeld from 1982, independently organised Chabad houses in Basel, Geneva, Lugano, Lucerne, Zug and Bern, a 2013 dispute over a public Hanukkah lighting in Geneva, and the absence of Chabad in Liechtenstein
| Chabad Lubavitch of Switzerland
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Jewish religious organisation (Chabad-Lubavitch) |
| Founded | 1982 (Zurich) |
| Founder(s) | Mendel Rosenfeld and Devorah Rosenfeld |
| Headquarters | Zurich |
| Location | Rüdigerstrasse 10, Zurich (Chabad Switzerland headquarters) |
| Area served | Switzerland |
| Services | Chabad houses, synagogues, adult education, youth and student programmes |
| Key people | Mendel Rosenfeld (head emissary) |
| Website | https://www.chabadswitzerland.com |
Chabad Lubavitch of Switzerland is the Chabad-Lubavitch network in Switzerland. Its first Chabad house was founded in Zurich in 1982 by Rabbi Mendel Rosenfeld and Devorah Rosenfeld, who head it, and it now has branches in Basel, Geneva, Lugano, Lucerne, Zug and Bern.[1][2][3] The Swiss reference site on religions Relinfo writes that "Die einzelnen Chabad-Häuser sind unabhängig organisiert und finanzieren sich durch Spenden" ("The individual Chabad houses are independently organised and financed by donations").[1]
Size
Chabad's world headquarters lists nine Chabad institutions in Switzerland: two in Zurich and one each in Adliswil, Basel, Biel/Bienne, Geneva, Lugano, Lucerne and Zug.[4][5] Relinfo lists branches in Basel, Geneva, Lugano, Lucerne, Zug and Zurich.[1]
History
Relinfo says that the first Chabad house in Switzerland was founded in Zurich in 1982.[1] Anash.org, reporting on a Swiss conference of Chabad emissaries held in 5783 (2022–23), wrote that the Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, "sent Rabbi Mendel and Devorah Rosenfeld to Switzerland in 1982", and that under their leadership emissaries had since settled in Geneva, Basel, Lucerne, Lugano and Bern. It named Mendel Rosenfeld as head emissary, Mendel Pewzner as the emissary in Geneva and Yaakov Tzvi Kantor as the emissary in Lugano.[2]
Centres
Zurich
Chabad Switzerland gives its headquarters address as Rüdigerstrasse 10, 8027 Zurich, with Rabbi Mendel Rosenfeld as rabbi; Chabad's world headquarters also lists the centre as Chabad Lubavitch Switzerland, led by Mendel and Deby Rosenfeld, with the postcode 8027.[3][6] Relinfo gives the same street address with the postcode 8045.[1] A second Zurich centre, Chabad ESRA at Rehalpstrasse 89, is led by Rabbi Sholom Rosenfeld and Chana Rosenfeld.[3][6]
Other centres
Chabad Switzerland lists centres in Basel (Ahornstrasse 33, Rabbi Zalmen Wishedsky), Bern (Rabbi Marilus, listed under Biel), Lucerne (Pilatusstrasse 20) and Zug (Industriestrasse 16, both with Rabbi Chaim Drookman), Geneva (Avenue Théodore-Weber 12, Rabbi Mendel Pevzner) and Lugano (Rabbi Yaakov Kantor).[3]
Three of the local branches are registered as associations in the Swiss commercial register:
- Verein Chabad Lubawitsch Basel (CHE-113.225.253), Ahornstrasse 33, Basel. Its stated purpose is to spread the foundations of Jewish culture and to ease the integration of Jewish newcomers into the local Jewish community; it adds that "Der Verein übt keine missionarische Tätigkeit gegenüber nicht-jüdischen Mitmenschen aus" ("The association carries out no missionary activity towards non-Jewish people").[7]
- Habad Genève (CHE-106.443.945), Avenue Théodore-Weber 12, Geneva, whose stated purpose is to make Jewish culture known and to encourage religious practice among the Jewish population of Geneva.[8]
- Chabad Lubavitch Ticino (CHE-209.067.508), Via Beltramina 9, Lugano, whose stated purpose includes promoting Jewish culture and tradition and easing the integration of Jewish newcomers.[9]
Geneva Hanukkah dispute, 2013
In November 2013 Pierre Gauthier, a Geneva city councillor and secretary of a group called "Geneva Secular Coordination", wrote to the mayor's office asking it to cancel a public Hanukkah candle-lighting on Mollard Square planned for 3 December, citing what the JTA called Switzerland's Law of Foreign Worship, which states that "no celebration of worship, procession or any religious ceremony is allowed on public roads". The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that Gauthier told the Tribune de Genève "I'm not afraid of being called anti-Semitic, because my request is not directed at a religious community". The organiser, Rabbi Mendel Pevzner of Chabad, told the newspaper: "This is not a religious event but a moment of sharing, open to all faiths. Since 1991, we have never encountered a problem."[10]
Liechtenstein
Chabad's world headquarters lists no Chabad centre in Liechtenstein.[4] The nearest Chabad centres it lists are in Switzerland, in and around Zurich and in Zug and Lucerne.[5]
Liechtenstein has a Jewish association, the Verein jüdische Gemeinschaft im Fürstentum Liechtenstein (Association of the Jewish Community in the Principality of Liechtenstein), which has a board and members; its website does not mention Chabad. Its history page says that there has been no synagogue and no appointed rabbi in Liechtenstein since the 17th century, and that the Hilfsverein der Juden in Liechtenstein, set up in 1940 on the government's orders, was dissolved in 1954.[11][12][13]
No foundation linked to Chabad has been found in public sources. Liechtenstein foundations are not all publicly registered: according to the Liechtenstein National Administration, charitable foundations must be entered in the commercial register, while other foundations may be entered but are not required to be, and file a formation notice with the Office of Justice instead.[14] See also Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Liechtenstein.
See also
- Chabad-Lubavitch movement
- Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Switzerland
- Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Liechtenstein
- Chabad Lubavitch of Austria
- Chabad Lubavitch of Germany
- Chabad Lubavitch of France
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Chabad Switzerland", Relinfo, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Swiss Kinus Hashluchim Draws on Hundreds of Years of Continuity", Anash.org, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Chabad in Switzerland", Chabad Switzerland, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Europe – Centers", Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters (lubavitch.com), accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Switzerland – Centers", Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters (lubavitch.com), accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Zurich – Centers", Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters (lubavitch.com), accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ "VEREIN CHABAD LUBAWITSCH BASEL", Zefix, Swiss central business name index, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ "Habad Genève", Zefix, Swiss central business name index, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ "Chabad Lubavitch Ticino", Zefix, Swiss central business name index, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ "Swiss alderman seeks ban on Hanukkah ceremony", Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 29 November 2013.
- ↑ "Herzlich willkommen", Verein jüdische Gemeinschaft im Fürstentum Liechtenstein, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ "Über uns", Verein jüdische Gemeinschaft im Fürstentum Liechtenstein, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ "Historie", Verein jüdische Gemeinschaft im Fürstentum Liechtenstein, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ Amt für Justiz, "Stiftung – Hinterlegung im Handelsregister", Liechtensteinische Landesverwaltung, last updated 19 July 2023.