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{{short description|'''Chabad-Lubavitch in Kenya: an independent Chabad rabbi from 2014, a Chabad couple at the Nairobi Hebrew Congregation from 2016, and the Notiks' Chabad of Kenya since 2023, guarded by Kenyan anti-terror police'''}}

{{Infobox organization
| name = Chabad of Kenya
| type = Chabad-Lubavitch emissary operation
| founded = 2016 (first Chabad-sent couple); present centre 2023
| founder = [[Avromy Super]] and [[Sternie Super]] (2016); [[Levi Notik]] and [[Chaya Mushka Notik]] (2023)
| headquarters = Nairobi (diplomatic district, near the US and Israeli embassies)
| key_people = [[Levi Notik]] and [[Chaya Mushka Notik]]
| area_served = Kenya
| affiliations = [[Chabad Lubavitch of the Democratic Republic of the Congo|Chabad-Lubavitch of Central Africa]] (Kinshasa)
| remarks = Website chabad-kenya.com. Says it "is not funded by any organization or institution"
}}

'''Chabad-Lubavitch in Kenya''' has had three phases in Nairobi.
* In 2014 Rabbi [[Shmuel Notik]], a Chabad follower from Israel, came "on his own" to serve Israelis. ''JTA'' says he "wasn't sent by the Chabad movement".<ref name="JTA2016" />
* In 2016 Chabad sent Rabbi [[Avromy Super]] and his wife Sternie to serve as rabbi of the [[Nairobi Hebrew Congregation]], Nairobi's only synagogue, then 112 years old. ''JTA'' reported this as Chabad's "first outreach center in East Africa".<ref name="JTA2016b" /><ref name="JTA2016" />
* Since 2023, Rabbi [[Levi Notik]] and his wife [[Chaya Mushka Notik]] have run '''Chabad of Kenya'''. In September 2026 it moved into a new centre on Nairobi's "diplomat row", near the US and Israeli embassies and the UN office.<ref name="KenyaAbout" /><ref name="Chabad2026" /> Kenya's anti-terror police secure Chabad's major events, and they guarded the original premises around the clock for months after 7 October 2023.<ref name="Lub2026" />

== Emissaries and centres ==
* '''[[Shmuel Notik]] (from 2014).''' A 28-year-old father of two, Notik was robbed by six men armed with knives on his way to blow the shofar soon after arriving. ''JTA'' said his community grew "from just a few dozen members into a congregation comprising hundreds", with a kindergarten, a mikvah and two premises. He also held "evening classes for Kenyans on Jewish-Christian commonalities".<ref name="JTA2016" />
* '''[[Avromy Super]] and [[Sternie Super]] (from 2016).''' Sent to help the Nairobi Hebrew Congregation at Passover 2016, they took up the post at the High Holidays. Super had studied at the Chabad yeshiva in Congo.<ref name="JTA2016b" /> ''JTA'' said he planned "to transform the city's century-old synagogue into a community center".<ref name="JTA2016" />
* '''[[Levi Notik]] and [[Chaya Mushka Notik]] (from 2023).''' They arrived with their one-year-old son. Notik said: "When we moved here, we thought starting in a smaller house would be enough, but within six months, we knew we needed something bigger."<ref name="KenyaAbout" /><ref name="Chabad2026" /> The new centre was dedicated on Sunday 6 September 2026, with nearly 100 guests, "diplomats" and "senior Kenyan officials". It has a synagogue, a kindergarten classroom, two guest houses and a Hebrew school.<ref name="Lub2026" /><ref name="Chabad2026" /> The long-term aim is a permanent property with a mikvah.<ref name="Chabad2026" />
:''Editor's note: The sources do not say whether Levi Notik is related to Shmuel Notik, or what became of the Supers' post and Shmuel Notik's congregation. An older Chabad page spoke of a "Permanent Chabad House in joint venture with the Nairobi Hebrew Congregation"; whether this happened is not confirmed.''<ref name="JALocations" />

== Relations with the wider Jewish community ==
The [[Nairobi Hebrew Congregation]] is Kenya's historic synagogue. Its members include "Kenyan Jews with roots in Europe; American, British and South African expats, and Israelis".<ref name="JTA2016b" /> Chabad first entered Kenya officially by supplying the congregation with a rabbi, not as a rival body.<ref name="JTA2016b" /> Lubavitch.com describes "Nairobi's roughly 500 Jewish families", including many "diplomats posted to the U.S. and Israeli Embassies, the United Nations and other missions". It also notes that "Nairobi's only mikvah is old and sits in an area residents avoid at night".<ref name="Lub2026" />

== Relations with the state, security and Israel ==
* '''Kenyan police.''' "Kenya's anti-terror police unit secures Chabad's major events. It guarded the original location around the clock for months after October 7. Embassy security now patrols their street."<ref name="Lub2026" />
* '''Location.''' The new centre is "close to the American Embassy, a few hundred meters from the U.N. office and minutes from the Israeli Embassy", and is "strategically located in terms of security".<ref name="Chabad2026" />
* '''Officials.''' "Senior Kenyan officials" and diplomats attended the 2026 dedication.<ref name="Chabad2026" />
:''Editor's note: The officials and embassies represented at the dedication are not named in the sources reviewed.''

== Funding and donors ==
Chabad of Kenya says it "is not funded by any organization or institution", and that everything is paid for by donations.<ref name="KenyaAbout" /> No named donors or accounts were found.

== Controversies ==
None found.

== Timeline ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Year !! Event
|-
| 2014 || Shmuel Notik arrives in Nairobi independently
|-
| 2016 || Avromy and Sternie Super sent as rabbi of the Nairobi Hebrew Congregation
|-
| 2023 || Levi and Chaya Mushka Notik start Chabad of Kenya
|-
| Oct 2023 onwards || Anti-terror police guard the centre
|-
| 6 Sep 2026 || New centre on diplomat row dedicated
|}

== See also ==
* [[Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Kenya]]
* [[Chabad Lubavitch of the Democratic Republic of the Congo]]
* [[Chabad Lubavitch of Uganda]]
* [[Chabad Lubavitch of Tanzania]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="JTA2016">Cnaan Liphshiz, [https://www.jta.org/2016/09/07/lifestyle/as-chabad-grows-in-africa-hardy-rabbis-encounter-crime-and-spirituality "As Chabad grows in Africa, hardy rabbis encounter crime and spirituality"], ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency'', 7 September 2016. Press.</ref>
<ref name="JTA2016b">[https://www.jta.org/2016/07/14/global/chabad-opening-its-first-center-in-east-africa "Chabad opening its first center in East Africa"], ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency'', 14 July 2016. Press.</ref>
<ref name="KenyaAbout">Chabad of Kenya, [https://www.chabad-kenya.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/6923010/jewish/About-Us.htm "About Us"], chabad-kenya.com, accessed 20 October 2026. Chabad-side.</ref>
<ref name="Chabad2026">Tzali Reicher, [https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/7512385/jewish/Jews-of-Kenya-Celebrate-High-Holidays-in-New-Center.htm "Jews of Kenya Celebrate High Holidays in New Center"], Chabad.org, 15 September 2026. Chabad-side.</ref>
<ref name="Lub2026">Leibel Kahan, [https://www.lubavitch.com/chabad-of-kenya-opens-new-center-starts-search-for-bigger-one/ "Chabad of Kenya Opens New Center, Starts Search for Bigger One"], Lubavitch.com, 9 October 2026. Chabad-side.</ref>
<ref name="JALocations">Chabad-Lubavitch of Central Africa, [https://www.jewishafrica.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/1789752/jewish/Our-Locations.htm "Our Locations"], JewishAfrica.com, accessed 20 October 2026 (undated). Chabad-side.</ref>
</references>

[[Category:Chabad-Lubavitch|Kenya]]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 | name = Chabad of Kenya
 | type = Chabad-Lubavitch emissary operation
-| founded = 2016 (first Chabad-sent couple); present centre 2023
+| founded = {{Start date|2016}} (first Chabad-sent couple); present centre 2023
 | founder = [[Avromy Super]] and [[Sternie Super]] (2016); [[Levi Notik]] and [[Chaya Mushka Notik]] (2023)
 | headquarters = Nairobi (diplomatic district, near the US and Israeli embassies)

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 | key_people = [[Levi Notik]] and [[Chaya Mushka Notik]]
 | area_served = Kenya
-| affiliations = [[Chabad Lubavitch of the Democratic Republic of the Congo|Chabad-Lubavitch of Central Africa]] (Kinshasa)
+| remarks = Affiliations: [[Chabad Lubavitch of the Democratic Republic of the Congo|Chabad-Lubavitch of Central Africa]] (Kinshasa). Website chabad-kenya.com. Says it "is not funded by any organization or institution"
 }}

Chabad Lubavitch of Kenya - Revision history

Chabad Bot: Infobox: founded date in Start date format (text kept)

Chabad Bot: v2 format conformity: infobox dates to {{Start date}}, infobox parameters renamed to v2 (no content change)

Chabad Bot: New Chabad country profile (Sub-Saharan Africa series)