For over twenty years, the Chabad House in Kathmandu has been more than just a building; it has been a sanctuary of warmth, a place of shared meals, and a “home away from home” for tens of thousands of travelers. But recently, the walls that once echoed with the songs of Shabbat and late-night conversations have fallen silent. Rabbi Hezki and Chani Lifshitz, who have dedicated two decades to this mission, were recently forced to pack their lives into boxes and vacate the premises immediately.
Understanding the Change: Fear vs. Hate
It is important to look closely at why this happened. While the suddenness of the eviction is painful, Rabbi Hezki Lifshitz has clarified that the landlord himself is not inherently antisemitic. Rather, we are seeing the ripples of a complicated global climate.
The landlord expressed deep-seated fears regarding the current international tensions following the Israel-Hamas war. Specifically, he demanded the removal of all Hebrew signs and indicators of an Israeli presence, fearing that he might be wrongly suspected of being a spy by regional actors like the Iranian regime. These anxieties, coupled with a series of escalating demands and rent increases, eventually led to the order to leave.
In truth, Nepal has long been a place of peace for Jewish visitors. Before a single act of vandalism by a foreign national last April, the Chabad House had operated without incident for 25 years. The current situation reflects a world where global rise in hate and geopolitical tensions have created a sense of uncertainty, causing individuals to act out of fear for their own safety rather than out of malice toward the Jewish people.
A Difficult Farewell to a “Soulful” Home
For Chani Lifshitz, the transition has been deeply emotional. She described the experience as a “crisis,” noting how difficult it is to leave a place that was “entirely soul”. The “noose” seemed to tighten over several months through new restrictions and financial pressures that eventually made staying impossible.
The couple had to pack their belongings at lightning speed, moving everything into a storage facility in the Balaju neighborhood while they search for a new location. Despite the “empty walls” and the tears, their resolve remains unshaken.
The Path Forward
The story of the Kathmandu Chabad House is not over; it is simply entering a new chapter. Rabbi Hezki remains optimistic, maintaining that “everything will turn out for the good” and that the center will eventually expand and grow in a new home.
Nepal continues to be a destination where Israelis and Jewish travelers are welcomed with the traditional warmth of the Nepali people. This moment of transition is a reminder of how global events can affect local lives, but it also highlights the resilience of a community determined to keep its doors open.
As the search for a new building begins, the Lifshitz family continues their mission in Kathmandu, proving that while a building can be vacated, a spirit of service and connection cannot be evicted.
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