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| headquarters = 1035 14th Street, Miami Beach, FL 33139, United States | | headquarters = 1035 14th Street, Miami Beach, FL 33139, United States | ||
| area_served = Muslim-majority countries and regions | | area_served = Muslim-majority countries and regions | ||
| − | | membership = | + | | membership = About 50 rabbis listed on its website (October 2026); 45 reported in 2021, "some 55" in 2023 |
| language = English, Arabic, others | | language = English, Arabic, others | ||
| leader_title = Chairman | | leader_title = Chairman | ||
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
| website = [https://www.rabbisalliance.org rabbisalliance.org] | | website = [https://www.rabbisalliance.org rabbisalliance.org] | ||
}} | }} | ||
| − | + | {{Chabad sidebar}} | |
| − | '''[[Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States]]''' (ARIS) is a rabbinic association founded in September 2019 by Rabbi [[Mendy Chitrik]] to connect and support rabbis serving Jewish communities in predominantly Muslim countries and regions. It describes itself as the first rabbinic association in the Muslim world and aims to sustain Jewish life, promote interfaith coexistence, and combat antisemitism and Islamophobia.<ref name="About">Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, [https://www.rabbisalliance.org/about/ About] ''rabbisalliance.org''.</ref><ref name=" | + | '''[[Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States]]''' (ARIS) is a rabbinic association founded in September 2019 by Rabbi [[Mendy Chitrik]] to connect and support rabbis serving Jewish communities in predominantly Muslim countries and regions. It describes itself as the first rabbinic association in the Muslim world and aims to sustain Jewish life, promote interfaith coexistence, and combat antisemitism and Islamophobia.<ref name="About">Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, [https://www.rabbisalliance.org/about/ About] ''rabbisalliance.org''.</ref><ref name="Forward2021" /><ref name="IsraelHayom2021" /> |
The organisation is registered in the United States as Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States Inc., a Florida domestic non-profit corporation (document number N20000011307), incorporated on 8 October 2020 with principal address at 1035 14th Street, Miami Beach, Florida 33139. It holds US tax-exempt status (EIN 85-3435240) as a religious organisation, granted in March 2021. Officers have included Menachem M. Chitrik (President/Director), Yeshaya Cohen (Director) and Chaim H. Zyslin (Director).<ref name="FLCorp">Florida corporate records, [https://florida.intercreditreport.com/company/alliance-of-rabbis-in-islamic-states-inc-n20000011307 ALLIANCE OF RABBIS IN ISLAMIC STATES INC] and related filings.</ref><ref name="EIN">Organisation records, [https://www.orgcouncil.com/ein/853435240 Alliance Of Rabbis In Islamic States Inc] Miami Beach, FL.</ref> | The organisation is registered in the United States as Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States Inc., a Florida domestic non-profit corporation (document number N20000011307), incorporated on 8 October 2020 with principal address at 1035 14th Street, Miami Beach, Florida 33139. It holds US tax-exempt status (EIN 85-3435240) as a religious organisation, granted in March 2021. Officers have included Menachem M. Chitrik (President/Director), Yeshaya Cohen (Director) and Chaim H. Zyslin (Director).<ref name="FLCorp">Florida corporate records, [https://florida.intercreditreport.com/company/alliance-of-rabbis-in-islamic-states-inc-n20000011307 ALLIANCE OF RABBIS IN ISLAMIC STATES INC] and related filings.</ref><ref name="EIN">Organisation records, [https://www.orgcouncil.com/ein/853435240 Alliance Of Rabbis In Islamic States Inc] Miami Beach, FL.</ref> | ||
Its activity follows the halachic guidelines of Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel [[Yitzhak Yosef]] (Rishon LeZion), who has formally endorsed the alliance.<ref name="Yosef">Jeremy Sharon, [https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/chief-rabbi-yitzhak-yosef-endorses-alliance-of-rabbis-in-islamic-states-659166 Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef endorses Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States] ''The Jerusalem Post'', 16 February 2021.</ref> | Its activity follows the halachic guidelines of Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel [[Yitzhak Yosef]] (Rishon LeZion), who has formally endorsed the alliance.<ref name="Yosef">Jeremy Sharon, [https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/chief-rabbi-yitzhak-yosef-endorses-alliance-of-rabbis-in-islamic-states-659166 Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef endorses Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States] ''The Jerusalem Post'', 16 February 2021.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Chitrik is a [[Chabad-Lubavitch]] emissary in Istanbul.<ref name="Forward2021" /><ref name="JTA2025" /> According to the [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]], the idea for ARIS came to him at the Kinus HaShluchim, the international conference of Chabad emissaries, where he found himself at a table with colleagues from Azerbaijan, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria; they started a WhatsApp group "and it grew from there". JTA also reported that Chitrik "was adamant that it couldn't just be an organization of Chabad rabbis".<ref name="JTA2021" /> In October 2021 ''Israel Hayom'' reported that ARIS "includes 45 rabbis, the majority of whom are associated with Chabad", serving "some 100,000 Jews across 14 Muslim-majority states".<ref name="IsraelHayom2021" /> In 2023 Chitrik spoke of "some 55 rabbis in 16 different Muslim countries".<ref name="NYJG2023" /> | ||
| + | :''Editor's note: The founding month, September 2019, is consistent with the report in the Forward in March 2021 that Chitrik had founded ARIS "18 months ago"; Israel Hayom gives only the year 2019.<ref name="Forward2021" /><ref name="IsraelHayom2021" /> Membership figures are self-reported.'' | ||
==Mission and activities== | ==Mission and activities== | ||
| Line 27: | Line 30: | ||
Membership covers rabbis in Albania, Azerbaijan, Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, UAE, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Nigeria and additional locations, as well as Muslim-majority regions such as North Cyprus, Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. The organisation reports serving communities comprising tens of thousands of Jews and acting as an apolitical voice for coexistence.<ref name="About" /><ref name="Home">Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, [https://www.rabbisalliance.org/ Home] ''rabbisalliance.org''.</ref> | Membership covers rabbis in Albania, Azerbaijan, Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, UAE, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Nigeria and additional locations, as well as Muslim-majority regions such as North Cyprus, Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. The organisation reports serving communities comprising tens of thousands of Jews and acting as an apolitical voice for coexistence.<ref name="About" /><ref name="Home">Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, [https://www.rabbisalliance.org/ Home] ''rabbisalliance.org''.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===First conference, Istanbul, December 2021=== | ||
| + | ARIS held its inaugural conference at Istanbul's Conrad hotel in December 2021, hosted with Turkey's chief rabbinate. JTA reported rabbis attending from more than ten countries, "including Iran, Egypt, Tunisia, Albania, Kosovo, the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Kazakhstan, and Russia as well as Turkey". The participants were flown to Ankara on a private plane sent by President [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] and dined with him at his palace on 23 December 2021; Russia's chief rabbi [[Berel Lazar]] and Turkey's chief rabbi [[Isak Haleva]] were among those pictured with him. On the second day Iran's Chief Rabbi [[Yehuda Gerami]] led a halachic symposium dedicated to Maimonides, and he left with a new Torah scroll for his community.<ref name="JTA2021" /> In 2021 ARIS also said it had helped deliver matzah to Jews in Libya, Lebanon and Syria, and helped Afghanistan's last Jews leave the country after the Taliban's return.<ref name="JTA2021" /><ref name="IsraelHayom2021" /> ''Israel Hayom'' (29 October 2021) also reported that ARIS had sent matzah to Jews in Alexandria, Egypt.<ref name="IsraelHayom2021" /> | ||
==Leadership and membership== | ==Leadership and membership== | ||
| Line 47: | Line 53: | ||
| [[Haim Bitan]] || Presidium Council || Chief Rabbi of Tunisia || Sephardi / traditional Tunisian Jewish community | | [[Haim Bitan]] || Presidium Council || Chief Rabbi of Tunisia || Sephardi / traditional Tunisian Jewish community | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Isak Haleva]] || Presidium Council (Hahambashi) || Chief Rabbi of Turkey || Sephardi / traditional Turkish Jewish community (Hahambashi) | + | | [[Isak Haleva]] || Presidium Council (Hahambashi) || Chief Rabbi of Turkey (died 14 January 2025; still listed by ARIS in October 2026)<ref name="JTA2025" /> || Sephardi / traditional Turkish Jewish community (Hahambashi) |
|- | |- | ||
| [[Gad Bouskila]] || Presidium Council || Rabbi of Netivot Yisrael Moroccan community of NY || Sephardi / Moroccan Orthodox | | [[Gad Bouskila]] || Presidium Council || Rabbi of Netivot Yisrael Moroccan community of NY || Sephardi / Moroccan Orthodox | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Mendy Chitrik]] || Chairman, Executive Board || Rabbi of Ashkenazi community of Istanbul, Turkey || [[Chabad-Lubavitch]]<ref name=" | + | | [[Mendy Chitrik]] || Chairman, Executive Board || Rabbi of Ashkenazi community of Istanbul, Turkey || [[Chabad-Lubavitch]]<ref name="Forward2021" /><ref name="JTA2025" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| [[Yeshaya Cohen]] || Executive Board || Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan || [[Chabad-Lubavitch]]<ref name="CohenKZ">Director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Kazakhstan and chief rabbi since 1994; see [https://crownheights.info/chabad-news/877240/80-years-after-mystics-passing-in-kazakh-exile-his-legacy-lives-on/ CrownHeights.info] and Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS reporting.</ref> | | [[Yeshaya Cohen]] || Executive Board || Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan || [[Chabad-Lubavitch]]<ref name="CohenKZ">Director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Kazakhstan and chief rabbi since 1994; see [https://crownheights.info/chabad-news/877240/80-years-after-mystics-passing-in-kazakh-exile-his-legacy-lives-on/ CrownHeights.info] and Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS reporting.</ref> | ||
| Line 61: | Line 67: | ||
| [[Yisrael Uzan]] || Executive Board || Chief Rabbi of Nigeria || [[Chabad-Lubavitch]]<ref name="UzanNigeria">Co-director of Chabad Lubavitch of Nigeria; see [https://www.jns.org/opinion/rabbi-israel-uzan/deconstructing-misconceptions-about-nigeria-and-life-in-africa JNS] and Chabad.org coverage of Chabad of Nigeria.</ref> | | [[Yisrael Uzan]] || Executive Board || Chief Rabbi of Nigeria || [[Chabad-Lubavitch]]<ref name="UzanNigeria">Co-director of Chabad Lubavitch of Nigeria; see [https://www.jns.org/opinion/rabbi-israel-uzan/deconstructing-misconceptions-about-nigeria-and-life-in-africa JNS] and Chabad.org coverage of Chabad of Nigeria.</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Levi Duchman]] || Executive Board || Rabbi of the UAE || [[Chabad-Lubavitch]]<ref name="DuchmanUAE">Chabad emissary and first resident chief rabbi of the UAE; see [https://chabad.ae/about-us/ Chabad of the UAE] | + | | [[Levi Duchman]] || Executive Board || Rabbi of the UAE || [[Chabad-Lubavitch]]<ref name="DuchmanUAE">Chabad emissary and first resident chief rabbi of the UAE; see [https://chabad.ae/about-us/ Chabad of the UAE] (Chabad-side).</ref><ref name="JNS2020" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Chaim Hilel Azimow]] || Observer || Rabbi of North Cyprus || [[Chabad-Lubavitch]]- | + | | [[Chaim Hilel Azimow]] || Observer || Rabbi of North Cyprus || [[Chabad-Lubavitch]]<ref name="AzimovChabad2008">Tamar Runyan, [https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/665942/jewish/New-Chabad-House-Brings-Passover-to-Northern-Cyprus.htm New Chabad House Brings Passover to Northern Cyprus] ''Chabad.org'', 23 April 2008. Identifies Rabbi Chaim Hillel Azimov as “the newly arrived co-director of Chabad-Lubavitch of North Cyprus”.</ref><ref name="AzimovChabad2009">Dan Webber, [https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/995142/jewish/Community-Grows-in-North-Cyprus.htm North Cyprus Jewish Center Caters to Growing Community] ''Chabad.org'', 23 September 2009. Describes him as “Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Chaim and Devora Azimov” who opened the centre.</ref><ref name="AzimovChabadLocator">[https://www.chabad.org/jewish-centers/648321/karaoglanoglu/Synagogue/Chabad-Lubavitch-of-North-Cyprus Chabad-Lubavitch of North Cyprus] ''Chabad.org'' locator. Lists Rabbi Chaim Hillel Azimov as Co-director.</ref> |
|} | |} | ||
| + | * '''Turkey's chief rabbinate.''' [[Isak Haleva]], Hahambaşı from 2002, died on 14 January 2025.<ref name="JTA2025" /> His successor, [[David Sevi]], installed in December 2025, "is a member of the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States", according to JNS.<ref name="JNS2025" /> Sevi does not appear under that name on the ARIS website; whether he is the "David Zvi" listed there as rabbi of Beit Israel, Istanbul, has not been confirmed. | ||
| + | * '''Levi Duchman's title.''' In October 2020 Chabad's announcement of [[Levi Duchman]]'s appointment as "the Chabad emissary to the UAE" described him as "vice president of ARIS".<ref name="JNS2020" /> The ARIS website now lists him on the Executive Board as "Rabbi of the UAE", without that title.<ref name="Rabbis" /> | ||
===Rabbi members=== | ===Rabbi members=== | ||
| − | The great majority of the listed rabbi members are Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries (shluchim). This includes virtually all those serving in the post-Soviet Muslim-majority regions—[[Yoel Kaplan]] (Kosovo/Albania), the Baku and Sumqayit rabbis in Azerbaijan ([[Mendy Leichter]], [[Nachshon Yunaev]], [[Mati Lewis]], [[Pesah Mirov]], [[Shneor Elimelech]]), [[Dan Krichevsky]] (Bashkortostan), the extensive Kazakhstan contingent ([[Shimon Ash]], [[Asaf Feinstein]], [[Shevach Zaltopolsky]], [[Elchanan Cohen]], [[Mendel Zalmanov]], [[Mordechai Morosow]], [[Saadia Liberow]], [[Asher Tumarkin]], [[Shmuel Karnaukh]], [[Mordechai Cohen]]), [[Arie Reichman]] (Kyrgyzstan), [[Yitzchak Gorelik]] (Tatarstan), and the Uzbekistan rabbis ([[Shlomo Babaev]], [[Shlomo Rabin]])—as well as the African contingent ([[Menachem Sternbach]] in Lagos, [[Moshe Raskin]] in Uganda, [[Shlomo Bentolila]] as Chief Rabbi of Central Africa, [[Yerachmiel Bensaid]] in Ivory Coast, [[Shimi Aziza]] in Tanzania) and the UAE rabbis ([[Mendel Duchman]], [[Shimon Frenkel]]). By contrast, the Istanbul rabbis ([[Isak Peres]], [[Naftali Haleva]], [[Izak Alaluf]], [[David Zvi]], [[Avraham Gershon]], [[Mendel Porush]]) largely belong to the traditional Sephardi Turkish community and its Bet Din. The Iranian rabbis ([[Yehud Gerami]], [[Eliyahu Saidiyan]]) represent the indigenous Persian Jewish community (Orthodox, with training in both Israeli and American yeshivas). [[Chimon Lahiany]] (Marrakesh) and [[Binyamin Hatab]] (Tunisia) | + | The great majority of the listed rabbi members are Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries (shluchim). This includes virtually all those serving in the post-Soviet Muslim-majority regions—[[Yoel Kaplan]] (Kosovo/Albania), the Baku and Sumqayit rabbis in Azerbaijan ([[Mendy Leichter]], [[Nachshon Yunaev]], [[Mati Lewis]], [[Pesah Mirov]], [[Shneor Elimelech]]), [[Dan Krichevsky]] (Bashkortostan), the extensive Kazakhstan contingent ([[Shimon Ash]], [[Asaf Feinstein]], [[Shevach Zaltopolsky]], [[Elchanan Cohen]], [[Mendel Zalmanov]], [[Mordechai Morosow]], [[Saadia Liberow]], [[Asher Tumarkin]], [[Shmuel Karnaukh]], [[Mordechai Cohen]]), [[Arie Reichman]] (Kyrgyzstan), [[Yitzchak Gorelik]] (Tatarstan), and the Uzbekistan rabbis ([[Shlomo Babaev]], [[Shlomo Rabin]])—as well as the African contingent ([[Menachem Sternbach]] in Lagos, [[Moshe Raskin]] in Uganda, [[Shlomo Bentolila]] as Chief Rabbi of Central Africa, [[Yerachmiel Bensaid]] in Ivory Coast, [[Shimi Aziza]] in Tanzania) and the UAE rabbis ([[Mendel Duchman]], [[Shimon Frenkel]]). By contrast, the Istanbul rabbis ([[Isak Peres]], [[Naftali Haleva]], [[Izak Alaluf]], [[David Zvi]], [[Avraham Gershon]], [[Mendel Porush]]) largely belong to the traditional Sephardi Turkish community and its Bet Din. The Iranian rabbis ([[Yehuda Gerami|Yehud Gerami]], [[Eliyahu Saidiyan]]) represent the indigenous Persian Jewish community (Orthodox, with training in both Israeli and American yeshivas). [[Chimon Lahiany]] (Marrakesh) is the Chabad emissary in Marrakesh (see [[Chabad Lubavitch of Morocco]]).<ref name="LubMarrakesh">Lubavitch.com, [https://www.lubavitch.com/centers/africa/morocco/marrakesh/ Centres directory: Marrakesh], accessed 20 October 2026. Lists "Chabad Lubavitch House - Beth Habad Marrakech" under Rabbi Chimon and Rachel Lahiany. Chabad-side directory.</ref><ref name="ChMarrakech">Chabad of Marrakech, [https://chabadmarrakech.org/en/about/ "About and Contact"], accessed 20 October 2026. Names Rabbi Shimon Lahiany as "Chabad Shliach". Chabad-side.</ref> [[Binyamin Hatab]] (Hattab; Tunisia) directs the Chabad yeshiva in Tunis, Yeshivah Oholei Yosef Yitzchak Lubavitch, and with his wife serves Chabad Tunisia (see [[Chabad Lubavitch of Tunisia]]).<ref name="RPinson2026">Motti Wilhelm, [https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/7240950 Obituary of Rebbetzin Rochel Pinson], Chabad.org, 5 February 2026. Describes Rabbi Binyamin Batu Hattab as "rabbi of the Grande Synagogue and director of Yeshivah Oholei Yosef Yitzchak Lubavitch in Tunis". Chabad-side.</ref><ref name="Ghriba2023CO">Yaakov Ort, [https://www.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/5949938 Report on the Djerba shooting], Chabad.org, 10 May 2023. States that Chabad Tunisia is "served by Rabbi Binyamin and Massuda Hattab". Chabad-side.</ref> The late [[Avraham Hamra]] served Syrian Sephardi expatriates. Overall, Chabad accounts for the overwhelming majority of the operational membership outside the historic Sephardi centres of Turkey, Iran and parts of North Africa. |
| Line 89: | Line 97: | ||
| [[Avraham Dayan]] || Formerly Rabbi || Jewish community in Alexandria, Egypt || Local Egyptian / Sephardi | | [[Avraham Dayan]] || Formerly Rabbi || Jewish community in Alexandria, Egypt || Local Egyptian / Sephardi | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Yehud Gerami]] || Chief Rabbi of Iran || Iran || Local Persian Jewish / Orthodox (trained at Ner Israel and Israeli yeshivas)<ref name=" | + | | [[Yehuda Gerami|Yehud Gerami]] || Chief Rabbi of Iran || Iran || Local Persian Jewish / Orthodox (trained at Ner Israel and Israeli yeshivas)<ref name="ToIGerami2021" /><ref name="Anash2021" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| [[Eliyahu Saidiyan]] || Chief Rabbi of Isfahan || Iran || Local Persian Jewish / Orthodox | | [[Eliyahu Saidiyan]] || Chief Rabbi of Isfahan || Iran || Local Persian Jewish / Orthodox | ||
| Line 117: | Line 125: | ||
| [[Menachem Sternbach]] || Rabbi of Lagos || Nigeria || Chabad-Lubavitch | | [[Menachem Sternbach]] || Rabbi of Lagos || Nigeria || Chabad-Lubavitch | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Chimon Lahiany]] || Rabbi || Marrakesh, Morocco || | + | | [[Chimon Lahiany]] || Rabbi || Marrakesh, Morocco || Chabad-Lubavitch (Chabad emissary in Marrakesh)<ref name="LubMarrakesh" /><ref name="ChMarrakech" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| [[Yitzchak Gorelik]] || Chief Rabbi || Russian Republic of Tatarstan || Chabad-Lubavitch | | [[Yitzchak Gorelik]] || Chief Rabbi || Russian Republic of Tatarstan || Chabad-Lubavitch | ||
| Line 139: | Line 147: | ||
| [[Moshe Raskin]] || Chief Rabbi of Uganda || Uganda || Chabad-Lubavitch | | [[Moshe Raskin]] || Chief Rabbi of Uganda || Uganda || Chabad-Lubavitch | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Binyamin Hatab]] || Rabbi || Tunisia || | + | | [[Binyamin Hatab]] || Rabbi || Tunisia || Chabad-Lubavitch (director of the Chabad yeshiva in Tunis; Chabad Tunisia)<ref name="RPinson2026" /><ref name="Ghriba2023CO" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| [[Mendel Duchman]] || Rabbi || Dubai, UAE || Chabad-Lubavitch | | [[Mendel Duchman]] || Rabbi || Dubai, UAE || Chabad-Lubavitch | ||
| Line 152: | Line 160: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Avraham Hamra]] || Chief Rabbi of Syrian Expatriates Community (in memoriam) || — || Syrian Sephardi | | [[Avraham Hamra]] || Chief Rabbi of Syrian Expatriates Community (in memoriam) || — || Syrian Sephardi | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | :''Editor's note: The names and roles in this table are as listed on the ARIS website.<ref name="Rabbis" /> Most of the "Chabad-Lubavitch" labels have not yet been checked against a source for each person; only those with their own footnote are individually sourced. Israel Hayom (2021) supports the general statement that the majority of ARIS rabbis "are associated with Chabad".<ref name="IsraelHayom2021" /> The Turkish members other than Chitrik belong to the Turkish community rabbinate, and no source found describes the two Iranian members as Chabad. The Emirates Agency for Kosher Certification, where Shimon Frenkel works, was set up by Levi Duchman of [[Chabad of the United Arab Emirates]].<ref name="JNS2020" />'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Coverage of West Asia=== | ||
| + | How ARIS membership maps onto the West Asian countries covered by Powerbase's Chabad country profiles:<ref name="Rabbis" /> | ||
| + | {| class="wikitable" | ||
| + | ! Country !! ARIS members covering it !! Note | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | United Arab Emirates || [[Levi Duchman]] (Executive Board), [[Mendel Duchman]], [[Shimon Frenkel]] || All three tied to [[Chabad of the United Arab Emirates]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | Turkey || [[Mendy Chitrik]] (Chairman), [[Isak Haleva]] (Presidium; d. 2025), [[Isak Peres]], [[Naftali Haleva]], [[Izak Alaluf]], [[David Zvi]], [[Avraham Gershon]], [[Mendel Porush]]; also [[David Sevi]] according to JNS<ref name="JNS2025" /> || One Chabad emissary plus the established Turkish rabbinate. See [[Chabad Lubavitch of Turkey]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | Northern Cyprus || [[Chaim Hilel Azimow]] (Observer) || Chabad-Lubavitch of North Cyprus; covers the north only. See [[Chabad Lubavitch of Cyprus]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | Iran || [[Yehuda Gerami|Yehud Gerami]], [[Eliyahu Saidiyan]] || No known Chabad affiliation. See [[Chabad Lubavitch of Iran]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | Bahrain || None listed || Rabbinic support comes from the [[Association of Gulf Jewish Communities]] (not Chabad). See [[Chabad Lubavitch of Bahrain]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | Saudi Arabia || None listed || See [[Chabad Lubavitch of Saudi Arabia]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | Cyprus (Republic) || None listed || See [[Chabad Lubavitch of Cyprus]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | Jordan || None listed || See [[Chabad Lubavitch of Jordan]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | Kuwait || None listed || See [[Chabad Lubavitch of Kuwait]] | ||
|} | |} | ||
===Advisory Board=== | ===Advisory Board=== | ||
| + | The Advisory Board comprises a mix of philanthropists, communal activists, academics and Chabad figures rather than a single denominational bloc.<ref name="Advisory">Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, [https://www.rabbisalliance.org/about/advisory-board/ Advisory Board] ''rabbisalliance.org''.</ref> | ||
| − | + | Founding Patron: [[Alexander Machkevich]] (also spelled Mashkevich; Kazakhstan / Israel; d. 2025).<ref name="MashkevichJPost">[https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-847423 Israeli-Kazakh billionaire Alexander Mashkevich dies at 72] ''The Jerusalem Post'', 24 March 2025. Founder of the Kazakhstan Jewish Congress and former president of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress; major funder of synagogues (including Chabad institutions) and interfaith projects.</ref> | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
| − | ! Name !! Location / | + | ! Name !! Location !! Affiliation / brief biography |
| + | |- | ||
| + | | [[Alexander Machkevich]] (Founding Patron) || Kazakhstan / Israel || Kazakh-Israeli billionaire philanthropist; founded the [[Kazakhstan Jewish Congress]] and led the [[Euro-Asian Jewish Congress]]; major funder of synagogues (including Chabad) and interfaith projects across Central Asia.<ref name="MashkevichJPost" /> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Carole Basri]] || USA | + | | [[Carole Basri]] || USA || American lawyer and documentary filmmaker of Iraqi Jewish (Sephardi/'Mizrahi') descent; focuses on the history and archives of Middle Eastern Jewry; former member of the U.S. State Department’s [[Future of Iraq Project]] and [[Coalition Provisional Authority]].<ref name="Advisory" /><ref name="BasriNote">The biographical details in this row were previously sourced to a Wikipedia article, which this project does not cite. They have been kept but await a primary or press source; only the Advisory Board listing is confirmed here.</ref> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Daniel Berkove]] || Israel | + | | [[Daniel Berkove]] || Israel || Israeli-based business consultant (energy sector); board member of Innovation: Africa and the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States; producer of the “Blessing Israel” anti-antisemitism music video collaboration.<ref name="BerkoveLehrhaus">[https://thelehrhaus.com/author/dberkove/ Daniel R. Berkove] author profile, ''The Lehrhaus''.</ref> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Avraham Berkowitz]] || US | + | | [[Avraham Berkowitz]] || US || Senior [[Chabad-Lubavitch]] emissary; former executive director of the [[Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS]] (FJC); alternate Chabad NGO delegate at the United Nations; director of special missions for Chabad Headquarters.<ref name="BerkowitzJTA">[https://www.jta.org/archive/head-of-chabad-led-federation-steps-down-from-moscow-post Head of Chabad-led Federation Steps Down from Moscow Post] ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency'', 2008; see also Chabad.org profiles of his FJC and UN roles.</ref> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Nir Boms]] || Israel | + | | [[Nir Boms]] || Israel || Israeli academic and research fellow at the [[Moshe Dayan Center]], [[Tel Aviv University]]; specialises in regional cooperation, Syria and the Abraham Accords; director of the TAU Workshop on Israel and the Middle East.<ref name="BomsBio">[https://nirboms.com/about-me/ Biography – Nir Boms] ''nirboms.com''.</ref> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Sandra Dangoor]] || UK | + | | [[Sandra Dangoor]] || UK || UK-based philanthropist / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).<ref name="Advisory" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Brigitte Dayan]] || USA | + | | [[Brigitte Dayan]] || USA || US-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).<ref name="Advisory" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Jason Epstein]] || USA | + | | [[Jason Epstein]] || USA || US-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).<ref name="Advisory" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Levi Matusof]] || Paris | + | | [[Levi Matusof]] || Paris || [[Chabad-Lubavitch]] representative in Paris; linked to the long-standing Matusof family of Chabad shluchim (including the pioneering Moroccan emissary Rabbi Shlomo Matusof).<ref name="MatusofFamily">Chabad.org coverage of the Matusof family of shluchim in Morocco and France; see e.g. obituaries and profiles of Rabbi Shlomo Matusof and descendants active in Paris and Cannes.</ref> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Eli Ovits]] || Israel | + | | [[Eli Ovits]] || Israel || Israel-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).<ref name="Advisory" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Joy Malka Rothenberg]] || Israel | + | | [[Joy Malka Rothenberg]] || Israel || Israel-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).<ref name="Advisory" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Daniel Seal]] || UAE | + | | [[Daniel Seal]] || UAE || UAE-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).<ref name="Advisory" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Tuli Skaist]] || USA | + | | [[Tuli Skaist]] || USA || US-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).<ref name="Advisory" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Leizer Schiner]] || USA | + | | [[Leizer Schiner]] || USA || US-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).<ref name="Advisory" /> |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | [[Efrat Sopher]] || London | + | | [[Efrat Sopher]] || London || London-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).<ref name="Advisory" /> |
|} | |} | ||
| Line 197: | Line 231: | ||
*[[Mendy Chitrik]] | *[[Mendy Chitrik]] | ||
*[[Abraham Accords]] | *[[Abraham Accords]] | ||
| + | *[[Chabad-Lubavitch in West Asia]] | ||
| + | *[[Chabad of the United Arab Emirates]] | ||
| + | *[[Chabad Lubavitch of Turkey]] | ||
| + | *[[Chabad Lubavitch of Iran]] | ||
| + | *[[Chabad Lubavitch of Cyprus]] | ||
| + | *[[Chabad Lubavitch of Bahrain]] | ||
| + | *[[Chabad Lubavitch of Saudi Arabia]] | ||
| + | *[[Chabad Lubavitch of Jordan]] | ||
| + | *[[Chabad Lubavitch of Kuwait]] | ||
| + | *[[Yehuda Gerami]] | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| Line 206: | Line 250: | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
| − | <references/> | + | <references> |
| − | [[ | + | <ref name="Forward2021">David Ian Klein, [https://forward.com/news/466368/matzah-in-beirut-or-a-seder-in-samarkand-these-rabbis-are-making-it-happen/ "Matzah in Beirut or a Seder in Samarkand? These rabbis are making it happen."], ''The Forward'', 22 March 2021. Press.</ref> |
| − | [[ | + | <ref name="IsraelHayom2021">JNS and ILH Staff, [https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/10/29/rabbinical-alliance-bolsters-jewish-community-in-islamic-states/ "Rabbinical alliance bolsters Jewish community in Islamic states"], ''Israel Hayom'', 29 October 2021. Press.</ref> |
| − | [ | + | <ref name="NYJG2023">Meyer Harroch, [https://newyorkjewishguide.com/2023/01/12/getting-to-know-the-jewish-community-in-turkey-a-conversation-with-rabbi-mendy-chitrik "Getting to know the Jewish Community in Turkey: A Conversation with Rabbi Mendy Chitrik"], ''New York Jewish Guide'', 12 January 2023. Interview, Chitrik's own words; written on a press trip sponsored by the Turkish tourism agency.</ref> |
| − | [[Category: | + | <ref name="JTA2025">David I. Klein, [https://www.jta.org/2025/01/15/obituaries/isak-haleva-turkeys-chief-rabbi-and-face-of-jewish-minority-dies-at-84 "Isak Haleva, Turkey's chief rabbi and face of Jewish minority, dies at 84"], Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 15 January 2025. Press.</ref> |
| + | <ref name="JNS2025">JNS Staff, [https://www.jns.org/jewish-life/turkish-jews-install-david-sevi-as-new-chief-rabbi "Turkish Jews install David Sevi as new chief rabbi"], JNS, 5 December 2025. Press.</ref> | ||
| + | <ref name="JNS2020">[https://www.jns.org/feature/chabad-lubavitch-announces-emissary-to-united-arab-emirates "Chabad-Lubavitch announces emissary to United Arab Emirates"], JNS (from Chabad.org/News), 1 November 2020. Chabad-side.</ref> | ||
| + | <ref name="JTA2021">David I. Klein, [https://www.jta.org/2021/12/23/global/in-istanbul-a-conference-of-rabbis-from-islamic-nations-got-a-surprise-an-audience-with-erdogan "In Istanbul, a conference of rabbis from Islamic nations got a surprise: An audience with Erdogan"], Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 23 December 2021. Press.</ref> | ||
| + | <ref name="ToIGerami2021">Lazar Berman, [https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-us-irans-chief-rabbi-says-he-feared-vengeance-after-soleimani-killing/ "In US, Iran's head rabbi says he condemned Soleimani killing to protect Jews"], ''The Times of Israel'', 15 November 2021. Press.</ref> | ||
| + | <ref name="Anash2021">[https://anash.org/iranian-chief-rabbi-meets-agudas-harabonim/ "Iranian Chief Rabbi Meets Agudas Harabonim"], Anash.org, 3 November 2021. Chabad-side.</ref> | ||
| + | </references> | ||
| + | [[Category:Jewish organisations in the United States]] | ||
[[Category:Interfaith organisations]] | [[Category:Interfaith organisations]] | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Chabad-Lubavitch]] |
Latest revision as of 13:56, 22 October 2026
Rabbinic association supporting Jewish communities in Muslim-majority countries
| Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit / Religious organisation |
| Founded | September 2019; Incorporated 8 October 2020 |
| Founder(s) | Mendy Chitrik |
| Registration ID | Florida N20000011307; EIN 85-3435240 |
| Status | Active |
| Headquarters | 1035 14th Street, Miami Beach, FL 33139, United States |
| Area served | Muslim-majority countries and regions |
| Website | rabbisalliance.org |
Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States (ARIS) is a rabbinic association founded in September 2019 by Rabbi Mendy Chitrik to connect and support rabbis serving Jewish communities in predominantly Muslim countries and regions. It describes itself as the first rabbinic association in the Muslim world and aims to sustain Jewish life, promote interfaith coexistence, and combat antisemitism and Islamophobia.[1][2][3]
The organisation is registered in the United States as Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States Inc., a Florida domestic non-profit corporation (document number N20000011307), incorporated on 8 October 2020 with principal address at 1035 14th Street, Miami Beach, Florida 33139. It holds US tax-exempt status (EIN 85-3435240) as a religious organisation, granted in March 2021. Officers have included Menachem M. Chitrik (President/Director), Yeshaya Cohen (Director) and Chaim H. Zyslin (Director).[4][5]
Its activity follows the halachic guidelines of Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel Yitzhak Yosef (Rishon LeZion), who has formally endorsed the alliance.[6]
Chitrik is a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary in Istanbul.[2][7] According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the idea for ARIS came to him at the Kinus HaShluchim, the international conference of Chabad emissaries, where he found himself at a table with colleagues from Azerbaijan, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria; they started a WhatsApp group "and it grew from there". JTA also reported that Chitrik "was adamant that it couldn't just be an organization of Chabad rabbis".[8] In October 2021 Israel Hayom reported that ARIS "includes 45 rabbis, the majority of whom are associated with Chabad", serving "some 100,000 Jews across 14 Muslim-majority states".[3] In 2023 Chitrik spoke of "some 55 rabbis in 16 different Muslim countries".[9]
- Editor's note: The founding month, September 2019, is consistent with the report in the Forward in March 2021 that Chitrik had founded ARIS "18 months ago"; Israel Hayom gives only the year 2019.[2][3] Membership figures are self-reported.
Mission and activities
ARIS states its mission is “to support, sustain, and advocate on behalf of Jewish life across Islamic States.” Aspirations include providing a platform for mutual support among rabbis and communities; safeguarding Jewish practice (prayer, festivals, kosher food); advancing interfaith engagement linked to the Abraham Accords; developing a network of Friends of ARIS; producing multilingual content; and convening annual summits.[10]
Membership covers rabbis in Albania, Azerbaijan, Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, UAE, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Nigeria and additional locations, as well as Muslim-majority regions such as North Cyprus, Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. The organisation reports serving communities comprising tens of thousands of Jews and acting as an apolitical voice for coexistence.[1][11]
First conference, Istanbul, December 2021
ARIS held its inaugural conference at Istanbul's Conrad hotel in December 2021, hosted with Turkey's chief rabbinate. JTA reported rabbis attending from more than ten countries, "including Iran, Egypt, Tunisia, Albania, Kosovo, the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Kazakhstan, and Russia as well as Turkey". The participants were flown to Ankara on a private plane sent by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and dined with him at his palace on 23 December 2021; Russia's chief rabbi Berel Lazar and Turkey's chief rabbi Isak Haleva were among those pictured with him. On the second day Iran's Chief Rabbi Yehuda Gerami led a halachic symposium dedicated to Maimonides, and he left with a new Torah scroll for his community.[8] In 2021 ARIS also said it had helped deliver matzah to Jews in Libya, Lebanon and Syria, and helped Afghanistan's last Jews leave the country after the Taliban's return.[8][3] Israel Hayom (29 October 2021) also reported that ARIS had sent matzah to Jews in Alexandria, Egypt.[3]
Leadership and membership
Chairman is Rabbi Mendy Chitrik, rabbi of the Ashkenazi community of Istanbul, Turkey.[12]
Presidium Council and Executive Board
The membership of the Alliance spans several streams within Orthodox Judaism. The Presidium Council is weighted toward Sephardi and Israeli Chief Rabbinate figures, including Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, Tunisian Chief Rabbi Haim Bitan, Turkish Hahambashi Isak Haleva, and Moroccan-linked rabbis such as Gad Bouskila and David Rafael Banon.
By contrast, the Executive Board and operational membership are dominated by Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries (shluchim). Explicitly identified Chabad rabbis include Chairman Mendy Chitrik (Istanbul), Levi Banon (Casablanca), Levi Duchman (UAE), Yeshaya Cohen (Kazakhstan) and Shneor Segal (Azerbaijan); numerous additional members serving in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Nigeria, Uganda, Uzbekistan and the UAE are likewise drawn from the Chabad network. Overall, Chabadniks constitute a clear majority of the active rabbinic membership, while the higher advisory layer retains a stronger Sephardi and non-Chabad Orthodox presence.
| Name | Role / Position | Location / Notes | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yitzhak Yosef | Chief Sephardi Rabbi (halachic guidance) | Israel (Rishon LeZion) | Sephardi Orthodox / Israeli Chief Rabbinate (Rishon LeZion) |
| Shimon Gad Elituv | Presidium Council | Member of the Council of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate | Israeli Chief Rabbinate / mainstream Orthodox |
| David Rafael Banon | Presidium Council | Montreal Bet Din | Sephardi / Orthodox (Montreal Bet Din) |
| Haim Bitan | Presidium Council | Chief Rabbi of Tunisia | Sephardi / traditional Tunisian Jewish community |
| Isak Haleva | Presidium Council (Hahambashi) | Chief Rabbi of Turkey (died 14 January 2025; still listed by ARIS in October 2026)[7] | Sephardi / traditional Turkish Jewish community (Hahambashi) |
| Gad Bouskila | Presidium Council | Rabbi of Netivot Yisrael Moroccan community of NY | Sephardi / Moroccan Orthodox |
| Mendy Chitrik | Chairman, Executive Board | Rabbi of Ashkenazi community of Istanbul, Turkey | Chabad-Lubavitch[2][7] |
| Yeshaya Cohen | Executive Board | Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan | Chabad-Lubavitch[13] |
| Shneor Segal | Executive Board | Chief Rabbi of Azerbaijan Ashkenazi community | Chabad-Lubavitch[14] |
| Levi Banon | Executive Board | Chabad Community Rabbi of Casablanca, Morocco | Chabad-Lubavitch (explicitly listed as Chabad Community Rabbi on ARIS site) |
| Yisrael Uzan | Executive Board | Chief Rabbi of Nigeria | Chabad-Lubavitch[15] |
| Levi Duchman | Executive Board | Rabbi of the UAE | Chabad-Lubavitch[16][17] |
| Chaim Hilel Azimow | Observer | Rabbi of North Cyprus | Chabad-Lubavitch[18][19][20] |
- Turkey's chief rabbinate. Isak Haleva, Hahambaşı from 2002, died on 14 January 2025.[7] His successor, David Sevi, installed in December 2025, "is a member of the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States", according to JNS.[21] Sevi does not appear under that name on the ARIS website; whether he is the "David Zvi" listed there as rabbi of Beit Israel, Istanbul, has not been confirmed.
- Levi Duchman's title. In October 2020 Chabad's announcement of Levi Duchman's appointment as "the Chabad emissary to the UAE" described him as "vice president of ARIS".[17] The ARIS website now lists him on the Executive Board as "Rabbi of the UAE", without that title.[12]
Rabbi members
The great majority of the listed rabbi members are Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries (shluchim). This includes virtually all those serving in the post-Soviet Muslim-majority regions—Yoel Kaplan (Kosovo/Albania), the Baku and Sumqayit rabbis in Azerbaijan (Mendy Leichter, Nachshon Yunaev, Mati Lewis, Pesah Mirov, Shneor Elimelech), Dan Krichevsky (Bashkortostan), the extensive Kazakhstan contingent (Shimon Ash, Asaf Feinstein, Shevach Zaltopolsky, Elchanan Cohen, Mendel Zalmanov, Mordechai Morosow, Saadia Liberow, Asher Tumarkin, Shmuel Karnaukh, Mordechai Cohen), Arie Reichman (Kyrgyzstan), Yitzchak Gorelik (Tatarstan), and the Uzbekistan rabbis (Shlomo Babaev, Shlomo Rabin)—as well as the African contingent (Menachem Sternbach in Lagos, Moshe Raskin in Uganda, Shlomo Bentolila as Chief Rabbi of Central Africa, Yerachmiel Bensaid in Ivory Coast, Shimi Aziza in Tanzania) and the UAE rabbis (Mendel Duchman, Shimon Frenkel). By contrast, the Istanbul rabbis (Isak Peres, Naftali Haleva, Izak Alaluf, David Zvi, Avraham Gershon, Mendel Porush) largely belong to the traditional Sephardi Turkish community and its Bet Din. The Iranian rabbis (Yehud Gerami, Eliyahu Saidiyan) represent the indigenous Persian Jewish community (Orthodox, with training in both Israeli and American yeshivas). Chimon Lahiany (Marrakesh) is the Chabad emissary in Marrakesh (see Chabad Lubavitch of Morocco).[22][23] Binyamin Hatab (Hattab; Tunisia) directs the Chabad yeshiva in Tunis, Yeshivah Oholei Yosef Yitzchak Lubavitch, and with his wife serves Chabad Tunisia (see Chabad Lubavitch of Tunisia).[24][25] The late Avraham Hamra served Syrian Sephardi expatriates. Overall, Chabad accounts for the overwhelming majority of the operational membership outside the historic Sephardi centres of Turkey, Iran and parts of North Africa.
| Name | Role / Position | Location | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yoel Kaplan | Chief Rabbi of Kosovo and Albania | Kosovo / Albania | Chabad-Lubavitch[26] |
| Mendy Leichter | Rabbi of Sumqayit | Azerbaijan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Nachshon Yunaev | Rabbi for Youth Activities | Jewish community of Baku, Azerbaijan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Mati Lewis | Rabbi | Jewish community of Baku, Azerbaijan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Pesah Mirov | Rabbi | Jewish community of Baku, Azerbaijan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Shneor Elimelech | Rabbi | Jewish community of Baku, Azerbaijan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Dan Krichevsky | Chief Rabbi | Russia Republic of Bashkortostan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Avraham Dayan | Formerly Rabbi | Jewish community in Alexandria, Egypt | Local Egyptian / Sephardi |
| Yehud Gerami | Chief Rabbi of Iran | Iran | Local Persian Jewish / Orthodox (trained at Ner Israel and Israeli yeshivas)[27][28] |
| Eliyahu Saidiyan | Chief Rabbi of Isfahan | Iran | Local Persian Jewish / Orthodox |
| Shimon Ash | Rabbi of Pavlodar | Kazakhstan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Asaf Feinstein | Rabbi of Ust'-Kamenogorsk | Kazakhstan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Shevach Zaltopolsky | Rabbi | Almaty, Kazakhstan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Elchanan Cohen | Chief Rabbi of Almaty | Kazakhstan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Mendel Zalmanov | Rabbi of Kostanay | Kazakhstan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Mordechai Morosow | Rabbi of Shymkent | Kazakhstan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Saadia Liberow | Rabbi | Almaty, Kazakhstan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Asher Tumarkin | Rabbi of Karganda | Kazakhstan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Shmuel Karnaukh | Rabbi of Nursultan | Kazakhstan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Mordechai Cohen | Rabbi | Almaty, Kazakhstan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Arie Reichman | Chief Rabbi of Kyrgyzstan | Kyrgyzstan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Menachem Sternbach | Rabbi of Lagos | Nigeria | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Chimon Lahiany | Rabbi | Marrakesh, Morocco | Chabad-Lubavitch (Chabad emissary in Marrakesh)[22][23] |
| Yitzchak Gorelik | Chief Rabbi | Russian Republic of Tatarstan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Isak Peres | Rabbi of Yenikoy Community; Bet Din member | Istanbul, Turkey | Local Turkish Sephardi (Bet Din of Istanbul) |
| Naftali Haleva | Etz Ahayim, Ortaköy; Bet Din member | Istanbul, Turkey | Local Turkish Sephardi (Haleva family; Bet Din of Istanbul) |
| Izak Alaluf | Rabbi of Kemerburgaz community; Bet Din member | Istanbul, Turkey | Local Turkish Sephardi (Bet Din of Istanbul) |
| David Zvi | Rabbi of Beit Israel | Istanbul, Turkey | Local Turkish / community rabbi |
| Avraham Gershon | Hesed-Leavraam-Buyukada | Istanbul, Turkey | Local Turkish / community rabbi |
| Mendel Porush | Rabbi for Kashrut | Istanbul, Turkey | Local / kashrut authority (Istanbul) |
| Shlomo Babaev | Rabbi of Uzbekistan | Uzbekistan | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Shlomo Rabin | Head Rabbi of Buchara Jewish community | Uzbekistan | Chabad-Lubavitch / local Bukharan |
| Moshe Raskin | Chief Rabbi of Uganda | Uganda | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Binyamin Hatab | Rabbi | Tunisia | Chabad-Lubavitch (director of the Chabad yeshiva in Tunis; Chabad Tunisia)[24][25] |
| Mendel Duchman | Rabbi | Dubai, UAE | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Shimon Frenkel | Emirates Agency for Kosher Certification | UAE | Chabad-Lubavitch / kashrut |
| Shlomo Bentolila | Chief Rabbi of Central Africa | Central Africa | Chabad-Lubavitch (Head Shaliach of Central Africa)[29] |
| Yerachmiel Bensaid | Chief Rabbi of Ivory Coast | Ivory Coast | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Shimi Aziza | Chief Rabbi of Tanzania | Tanzania | Chabad-Lubavitch |
| Avraham Hamra | Chief Rabbi of Syrian Expatriates Community (in memoriam) | — | Syrian Sephardi |
- Editor's note: The names and roles in this table are as listed on the ARIS website.[12] Most of the "Chabad-Lubavitch" labels have not yet been checked against a source for each person; only those with their own footnote are individually sourced. Israel Hayom (2021) supports the general statement that the majority of ARIS rabbis "are associated with Chabad".[3] The Turkish members other than Chitrik belong to the Turkish community rabbinate, and no source found describes the two Iranian members as Chabad. The Emirates Agency for Kosher Certification, where Shimon Frenkel works, was set up by Levi Duchman of Chabad of the United Arab Emirates.[17]
Coverage of West Asia
How ARIS membership maps onto the West Asian countries covered by Powerbase's Chabad country profiles:[12]
| Country | ARIS members covering it | Note |
|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | Levi Duchman (Executive Board), Mendel Duchman, Shimon Frenkel | All three tied to Chabad of the United Arab Emirates |
| Turkey | Mendy Chitrik (Chairman), Isak Haleva (Presidium; d. 2025), Isak Peres, Naftali Haleva, Izak Alaluf, David Zvi, Avraham Gershon, Mendel Porush; also David Sevi according to JNS[21] | One Chabad emissary plus the established Turkish rabbinate. See Chabad Lubavitch of Turkey |
| Northern Cyprus | Chaim Hilel Azimow (Observer) | Chabad-Lubavitch of North Cyprus; covers the north only. See Chabad Lubavitch of Cyprus |
| Iran | Yehud Gerami, Eliyahu Saidiyan | No known Chabad affiliation. See Chabad Lubavitch of Iran |
| Bahrain | None listed | Rabbinic support comes from the Association of Gulf Jewish Communities (not Chabad). See Chabad Lubavitch of Bahrain |
| Saudi Arabia | None listed | See Chabad Lubavitch of Saudi Arabia |
| Cyprus (Republic) | None listed | See Chabad Lubavitch of Cyprus |
| Jordan | None listed | See Chabad Lubavitch of Jordan |
| Kuwait | None listed | See Chabad Lubavitch of Kuwait |
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board comprises a mix of philanthropists, communal activists, academics and Chabad figures rather than a single denominational bloc.[30]
Founding Patron: Alexander Machkevich (also spelled Mashkevich; Kazakhstan / Israel; d. 2025).[31]
| Name | Location | Affiliation / brief biography |
|---|---|---|
| Alexander Machkevich (Founding Patron) | Kazakhstan / Israel | Kazakh-Israeli billionaire philanthropist; founded the Kazakhstan Jewish Congress and led the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress; major funder of synagogues (including Chabad) and interfaith projects across Central Asia.[31] |
| Carole Basri | USA | American lawyer and documentary filmmaker of Iraqi Jewish (Sephardi/'Mizrahi') descent; focuses on the history and archives of Middle Eastern Jewry; former member of the U.S. State Department’s Future of Iraq Project and Coalition Provisional Authority.[30][32] |
| Daniel Berkove | Israel | Israeli-based business consultant (energy sector); board member of Innovation: Africa and the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States; producer of the “Blessing Israel” anti-antisemitism music video collaboration.[33] |
| Avraham Berkowitz | US | Senior Chabad-Lubavitch emissary; former executive director of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS (FJC); alternate Chabad NGO delegate at the United Nations; director of special missions for Chabad Headquarters.[34] |
| Nir Boms | Israel | Israeli academic and research fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center, Tel Aviv University; specialises in regional cooperation, Syria and the Abraham Accords; director of the TAU Workshop on Israel and the Middle East.[35] |
| Sandra Dangoor | UK | UK-based philanthropist / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).[30] |
| Brigitte Dayan | USA | US-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).[30] |
| Jason Epstein | USA | US-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).[30] |
| Levi Matusof | Paris | Chabad-Lubavitch representative in Paris; linked to the long-standing Matusof family of Chabad shluchim (including the pioneering Moroccan emissary Rabbi Shlomo Matusof).[36] |
| Eli Ovits | Israel | Israel-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).[30] |
| Joy Malka Rothenberg | Israel | Israel-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).[30] |
| Daniel Seal | UAE | UAE-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).[30] |
| Tuli Skaist | USA | US-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).[30] |
| Leizer Schiner | USA | US-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).[30] |
| Efrat Sopher | London | London-based professional / communal figure (listed on ARIS Advisory Board).[30] |
See also
- Yitzhak Yosef
- Mendy Chitrik
- Abraham Accords
- Chabad-Lubavitch in West Asia
- Chabad of the United Arab Emirates
- Chabad Lubavitch of Turkey
- Chabad Lubavitch of Iran
- Chabad Lubavitch of Cyprus
- Chabad Lubavitch of Bahrain
- Chabad Lubavitch of Saudi Arabia
- Chabad Lubavitch of Jordan
- Chabad Lubavitch of Kuwait
- Yehuda Gerami
External links
Official website X (Twitter) account List of rabbis Advisory Board
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, About rabbisalliance.org.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 David Ian Klein, "Matzah in Beirut or a Seder in Samarkand? These rabbis are making it happen.", The Forward, 22 March 2021. Press.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 JNS and ILH Staff, "Rabbinical alliance bolsters Jewish community in Islamic states", Israel Hayom, 29 October 2021. Press.
- ↑ Florida corporate records, ALLIANCE OF RABBIS IN ISLAMIC STATES INC and related filings.
- ↑ Organisation records, Alliance Of Rabbis In Islamic States Inc Miami Beach, FL.
- ↑ Jeremy Sharon, Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef endorses Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States The Jerusalem Post, 16 February 2021.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 David I. Klein, "Isak Haleva, Turkey's chief rabbi and face of Jewish minority, dies at 84", Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 15 January 2025. Press.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 David I. Klein, "In Istanbul, a conference of rabbis from Islamic nations got a surprise: An audience with Erdogan", Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 23 December 2021. Press.
- ↑ Meyer Harroch, "Getting to know the Jewish Community in Turkey: A Conversation with Rabbi Mendy Chitrik", New York Jewish Guide, 12 January 2023. Interview, Chitrik's own words; written on a press trip sponsored by the Turkish tourism agency.
- ↑ Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, Mission rabbisalliance.org.
- ↑ Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, Home rabbisalliance.org.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, ARIS Rabbis rabbisalliance.org.
- ↑ Director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Kazakhstan and chief rabbi since 1994; see CrownHeights.info and Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS reporting.
- ↑ Chabad emissary since 2002 and Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Azerbaijan; see Chabad of Baku and JNS profile.
- ↑ Co-director of Chabad Lubavitch of Nigeria; see JNS and Chabad.org coverage of Chabad of Nigeria.
- ↑ Chabad emissary and first resident chief rabbi of the UAE; see Chabad of the UAE (Chabad-side).
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 "Chabad-Lubavitch announces emissary to United Arab Emirates", JNS (from Chabad.org/News), 1 November 2020. Chabad-side.
- ↑ Tamar Runyan, New Chabad House Brings Passover to Northern Cyprus Chabad.org, 23 April 2008. Identifies Rabbi Chaim Hillel Azimov as “the newly arrived co-director of Chabad-Lubavitch of North Cyprus”.
- ↑ Dan Webber, North Cyprus Jewish Center Caters to Growing Community Chabad.org, 23 September 2009. Describes him as “Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Chaim and Devora Azimov” who opened the centre.
- ↑ Chabad-Lubavitch of North Cyprus Chabad.org locator. Lists Rabbi Chaim Hillel Azimov as Co-director.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 JNS Staff, "Turkish Jews install David Sevi as new chief rabbi", JNS, 5 December 2025. Press.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Lubavitch.com, Centres directory: Marrakesh, accessed 20 October 2026. Lists "Chabad Lubavitch House - Beth Habad Marrakech" under Rabbi Chimon and Rachel Lahiany. Chabad-side directory.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Chabad of Marrakech, "About and Contact", accessed 20 October 2026. Names Rabbi Shimon Lahiany as "Chabad Shliach". Chabad-side.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Motti Wilhelm, Obituary of Rebbetzin Rochel Pinson, Chabad.org, 5 February 2026. Describes Rabbi Binyamin Batu Hattab as "rabbi of the Grande Synagogue and director of Yeshivah Oholei Yosef Yitzchak Lubavitch in Tunis". Chabad-side.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Yaakov Ort, Report on the Djerba shooting, Chabad.org, 10 May 2023. States that Chabad Tunisia is "served by Rabbi Binyamin and Massuda Hattab". Chabad-side.
- ↑ Chabad.org and contemporary reports identify Kaplan as Chabad-Lubavitch emissary and Chief Rabbi of Albania; see e.g. Balkan Nation Installs First Chief Rabbi Chabad.org, 2010.
- ↑ Lazar Berman, "In US, Iran's head rabbi says he condemned Soleimani killing to protect Jews", The Times of Israel, 15 November 2021. Press.
- ↑ "Iranian Chief Rabbi Meets Agudas Harabonim", Anash.org, 3 November 2021. Chabad-side.
- ↑ Chabad reports on Shlomo Bentolila as emissary to Central Africa since 1991; see e.g. Chabad.org coverage of Chabad of Central Africa.
- ↑ 30.00 30.01 30.02 30.03 30.04 30.05 30.06 30.07 30.08 30.09 30.10 Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, Advisory Board rabbisalliance.org.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Israeli-Kazakh billionaire Alexander Mashkevich dies at 72 The Jerusalem Post, 24 March 2025. Founder of the Kazakhstan Jewish Congress and former president of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress; major funder of synagogues (including Chabad institutions) and interfaith projects.
- ↑ The biographical details in this row were previously sourced to a Wikipedia article, which this project does not cite. They have been kept but await a primary or press source; only the Advisory Board listing is confirmed here.
- ↑ Daniel R. Berkove author profile, The Lehrhaus.
- ↑ Head of Chabad-led Federation Steps Down from Moscow Post Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 2008; see also Chabad.org profiles of his FJC and UN roles.
- ↑ Biography – Nir Boms nirboms.com.
- ↑ Chabad.org coverage of the Matusof family of shluchim in Morocco and France; see e.g. obituaries and profiles of Rabbi Shlomo Matusof and descendants active in Paris and Cannes.