Chabad Lubavitch of Vietnam
Chabad-Lubavitch in Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City house opened in 2006 under the Hong Kong regional director, with later houses in Hanoi, Hoi An and Sapa
| Chabad Lubavitch of Vietnam
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Chabad-Lubavitch emissary operation |
| Founded | 2006 (Ho Chi Minh City) |
| Founder(s) | Menachem Hartman; Racheli Hartman |
| Headquarters | Chabad of Vietnam, 5A Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Saigon Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City |
| Area served | Vietnam |
| Key people | Menachem Hartman; Racheli Hartman; Levi Laine; Mushky Laine |
| Website | jewishvietnam.com |
Chabad-Lubavitch in Vietnam began in 2006, when Rabbi Menachem Hartman and Racheli Hartman (also Rachel) opened the country's first Chabad house in Ho Chi Minh City. The venture was directed by Rabbi Mordechai Avtzon of Chabad Lubavitch of Hong Kong.[1][2] Lubavitch.com now lists four institutions: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hoi An and Sapa.[3]
Emissaries and centres
| Centre | Emissaries | From | Address (directory) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chabad of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City | Menachem Hartman and Racheli Hartman | 2006 | 5A Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Saigon Ward, District 1 |
| Chabad of Hanoi | Levi Laine and Mushky Laine | 2014 | 98 Tô Ngọc Vân, 3rd floor, Hanoi |
| Chabad of Hoi An | Menachem Fridman and Rocheli Fridman | — | 570a Cua Dai Street, Hoi An |
| Chabad of Sapa | Akiva Sheinberger and Gitel Sheinberger | — | 12A Thác Bạc, Sapa |
Sources: Lubavitch.com directory;[3] Hanoi opening date from Lubavitch.com (2014).[4]
Relations with the community
When the Hartmans arrived in August 2006, they brought "addresses of 30 Jews". Avtzon had sounded out local families through a Jewish-Vietnam email group.[1] In Hanoi, Lubavitch.com put the local community at about 100 Jews, mostly business people and diplomats, with 25 children. It said the Laines came with a grant from the Rohr Family Foundation in response to a request from local Jews. Hartman had sent rabbinical students to Hanoi for holidays over the previous seven years.[4]
Relations with the state, business and Israel
- Business-led siting. Lubavitch.com wrote in 2006 that Chabad chose Ho Chi Minh City over Hanoi "for business reasons". It quoted Rabbi Sholem Ber Chazan of Shenzhen: "Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are like Washington and New York."[1]
- Recognition. Lubavitch.com noted that "Judaism is not a religion recognized by the Vietnamese government" and that "Public displays of Jewish life require discretion". Hartman said: "The government in Vietnam is not about restricting religion. They are concerned with promoting the economy."[1] (Chabad-side.)
Funding
The Hanoi house was set up with a Rohr Family Foundation grant.[4] No accounts were found.
Controversies
None found in the sources consulted. In 2006 Avtzon was quoted as saying: "In Asia, except for the Muslim countries, there is no anti-Semitism at all."[1]
Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Menachem Hartman and Racheli Hartman open Chabad of Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City |
| 2014 | Levi Laine and Mushky Laine open Chabad of Hanoi |
| 2026 | Directory lists four houses, including Hoi An and Sapa |
See also
- Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Vietnam
- Chabad Lubavitch of Hong Kong
- Chabad Lubavitch of Cambodia
- Chabad Lubavitch of Laos
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "New Chabad House Opens in Vietnam", Lubavitch.com, 22 June 2006. Chabad-side.
- ↑ Chana Kroll, "Cambodia to Join Southeast Asian Nations With Permanent Chabad House", Chabad.org, 10 August 2009. Chabad-side.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lubavitch.com centres directory, Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hoi An and Sapa listings), accessed October 2026. Chabad-side.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Radical Relocation: Brooklyn Jewish Couple Moves to Hanoi", Lubavitch.com, 1 April 2014. Chabad-side.