Photographer Mordechai Loubetzky Visits Chabad Community in Grenoble, France

Photographer Mordechai Lubecki recently visited Grenoble, France, documenting the city’s Jewish community, Chabad institutions and rich Jewish history as part of a special visit to the southeastern French city.

During his visit, Lubecki toured the Chabad synagogue and center, which includes men’s and women’s mikvahs, as well as the local Jewish school operated by Rabbi Yechaya Lahiani and his son, David Lahiani. The visit also included Rabbi Alter Yehoshua Goldstein. Lubecki additionally visited the kosher “La Makolet” grocery store serving the local Jewish community.

The visit provided an opportunity to explore Grenoble’s Jewish history, including the community’s experiences during the Holocaust. Among the sites visited was the Museum of the Resistance and Deportation of Isère, which documents the history of the French Resistance, deportation and the Nazi occupation.

Grenoble’s Jewish community suffered greatly during World War II. In August 1942, Jewish residents were arrested during a major roundup, while the city’s synagogue was later looted and set ablaze in December 1943. The city was also the site of a clandestine 1943 meeting convened by Isaac Schneersohn, which played an important role in the establishment of the Center for Contemporary Jewish Documentation.

Today, Jewish life continues to flourish in Grenoble, with a synagogue, Chabad center, school, community institutions and kosher businesses serving local residents.

Lubecki also took time to explore the city itself, including a cable-car ride to the Bastille fortress, offering panoramic views of Grenoble and the surrounding Alps.

The accompanying gallery captures the blend of Jewish life, history, remembrance and the beauty of Grenoble.

Photos: Mordechai Lubecki