Chabad Lubavitch of Ukraine
Chabad-Lubavitch network in Ukraine
| Chabad in Ukraine | |
|---|---|
| Type | Jewish religious and educational network |
| Logo | |
| Founded | |
| Founder(s) | |
| Dissolved | |
| Registration ID | |
| Status | |
| Headquarters | Dnipro (main hub) |
| Location | |
| Area served | |
| Services | |
| Registration | |
| Key people | |
| Website | https://www.chabad.org/jewish-centers/country/Ukraine |
| Remarks | |
Chabad-Lubavitch maintains an extensive network of centres, synagogues, schools and social services across Ukraine, coordinated largely through the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU), founded in 1999. They support thousands of people through the Jewish Relief Network Ukraine (JRNU)
The movement's modern presence began in 1990 when the Rebbe sent the first permanent emissary couples.[1] By 2022, 192 emissary couples operated in 32 cities.[2]
Timeline
- 1990 – First permanent Chabad emissaries arrive; Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetsky establishes Chabad in Dnipro.[3]
- 1999 – Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU) founded.[4]
- 2014–2022 – Chabad centres in eastern Ukraine affected by conflict; many continue operations.
- 24 February 2022 – Full-scale invasion; Chabad network evacuates thousands and provides humanitarian aid.[5]
Chabad centres, synagogues, schools and groups by city
Note that the Chabad source of this data includes those part of what was 'Ukraine' which are now part of Russia, Including Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
Source:[6]
Key Chabad figures in Ukraine
| Name | Role | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetsky | Chief Rabbi of Dnipro, head of Council of Hasidic Rabbis | Dnipro |
| Rabbi Avraham Wolff | Chief Rabbi of Odessa and southern Ukraine | Odessa |
| Rabbi Meir Stambler | Chairman, Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine | National |
Key funders
Chabad operations in Ukraine receive major support from the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), UJA-Federation of New York, and individual philanthropists. During the 2022 war, JFNA and partners channelled millions in humanitarian aid through Chabad’s Jewish Relief Network Ukraine.[7]
The flagship Menorah Center in Dnipro — the largest Jewish community centre in the world — was financed primarily by Ukrainian oligarchs Ihor Kolomoisky and Gennadiy Bogolyubov, who together contributed over US$100 million to its construction and ongoing operations.[8][9][10]
Major institutional and philanthropic supporters include:
- Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and UJA-Federation of New York, which have channelled tens of millions of dollars through JRNU for war-time aid, generators, evacuation and relief.[11]
- Ohr Avner Foundation (founded by Lev Leviev), which funds Chabad schools and emissaries across Ukraine.
- Rohr Family Foundation, a consistent backer of Chabad emissaries in eastern Ukraine.
- Mayberg Family Foundation, which has supported centres including in Chernivtsi.
- Genesis Philanthropy Group, which pledged $10 million in emergency aid to Ukrainian Jewish communities via the Federation of Jewish Communities of the FSU at the outset of the 2022 war.[12][13]
Additional partners include the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) for humanitarian operations, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) for coordinated relief, and the Orthodox Union. Pre-war, Russian-Jewish oligarchs such as Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven and German Khan were also known to support Chabad initiatives across the former Soviet Union. Local Chabad houses continue to receive donations from community members for day-to-day operations.
Notes
- ↑ https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/5834606/jewish/The-Jews-of-Ukraine-Mark-One-Year-of-War-and-Resolve.htm
- ↑ https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/5834606/jewish/The-Jews-of-Ukraine-Mark-One-Year-of-War-and-Resolve.htm
- ↑ https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/5834606/jewish/The-Jews-of-Ukraine-Mark-One-Year-of-War-and-Resolve.htm
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Jewish_Communities_of_Ukraine
- ↑ https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/5834606/jewish/The-Jews-of-Ukraine-Mark-One-Year-of-War-and-Resolve.htm
- ↑ https://www.chabad.org/jewish-centers/country/Ukraine
- ↑ https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/6008797/jewish/Jewish-Philanthropies-Aid-to-Ukrainian-Jews-Continues-as-Crisis-Intensifies.htm
- ↑ https://www.timesofisrael.com/giant-22-story-ukraine-jcc-provides-refuge-in-style/
- ↑ https://www.jta.org/2024/08/26/global/baking-matzah-and-defying-blackouts-dnipros-jews-press-on-despite-the-grind-of-russias-war-on-ukraine
- ↑ https://forward.com/news/206715/sparkling-100m-jewish-community-center-towers-ove/
- ↑ https://www.jewishfederations.org/blog/all/four-years-on-federations-commitment-to-ukraine-is-unwavering-511848
- ↑ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/genesis-philanthropy-group-announces-10-million-in-emergency-assistance-to-jews-of-ukraine-301491748.html
- ↑ https://www.timesofisrael.com/genesis-fund-oligarchs-pledge-10-million-for-jews-in-ukraine/