Chabad Lubavitch of the Republic of the Congo
Chabad-Lubavitch in the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville): no resident emissary; visits to Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire by Chabad-Lubavitch of Central Africa from Kinshasa
- Not to be confused with Chabad Lubavitch of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa), which Chabad sources usually call "the Congo".
| Chabad-Lubavitch in the Republic of the Congo
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Visiting programme; no resident Chabad presence found |
| Founded | None (visits since at least the 2000s) |
| Headquarters | None. Served from Kinshasa, across the river |
| Area served | Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire |
| Key people | None resident. Visits organised by Shlomo Bentolila |
| Remarks | Affiliations: Chabad-Lubavitch of Central Africa. Evidence is thin |
Chabad-Lubavitch in the Republic of the Congo has no resident emissary or Chabad house. The country is served by visits from Chabad-Lubavitch of Central Africa, based just across the Congo River in Kinshasa.[1][2] Chabad's Kinshasa office lists "Punctual visits to Brazzaville and Pointe Noire", with synagogue services, holiday and summer programmes and an online Hebrew school.[1] In 2018 Chabad.org counted the Republic of the Congo among 11 African countries "without a permanent Chabad center", "serviced by Chabad of Central Africa".[2]
Visits
- As a rabbinical student, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Chekly, now emissary in Angola, travelled "on many occasions to Pointe Noire and Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo to lead services and Jewish activities".[3]
- Efraim Meslet, a French-born Israeli businessman working in Africa since 2011, who used to spend "a few weeks of every month" in Brazzaville, told Chabad.org that the local community "tried organizing regular activities" but would get a boost "when young men with matzah arrived for Passover or menorahs and doughnuts for Chanukah". On crossing from Kinshasa he said: "It is a crazy adventure to cross the river."[2]
- Chabad of Central Africa's undated "About Us" page lists "Congo Republic" among the 13 countries where it works.[4]
Note on names
Chabad's own sources use "the Congo" or "Congo" for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa), where Bentolila is based, and refer to "the Republic of Congo (as opposed to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the Bentolilas live)".[2][5] Accordingly, "Chabad Lubavitch of Congo" redirects to the DRC page.
Relations with the state, business and Israel; funding; controversies
None found.
See also
- Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to the Republic of the Congo
- Chabad Lubavitch of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Chabad Lubavitch of Angola
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chabad-Lubavitch of Central Africa, "Our Locations", JewishAfrica.com, accessed 20 October 2026 (undated). Chabad-side.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Dovid Margolin, "Raised in the Congo, She Will Now Start Up Chabad in Ivory Coast", Chabad.org, 12 July 2018. Chabad-side.
- ↑ Staff writer, "Chabad To Open in Angola", Lubavitch.com, 3 December 2014. Chabad-side.
- ↑ Chabad-Lubavitch of Central Africa, "About Us", JewishAfrica.com, accessed 20 October 2026 (undated, c. 2012). Chabad-side.
- ↑ Dovid Margolin, "Myriam Bentolila, 52, Elegant and Unsung Rebbetzin of the Congo", Chabad.org, 19 April 2021. Chabad-side.