JERUSALEM, Israel — Hundreds of revelers packed a Jerusalem ballroom Saturday night in tribute to an institution that from thousands of miles away has managed to unite Israelis of all political affiliations and modes of religious observance: Chabad-Lubavitch of Thailand.
Thai Tourism Veterans Unite in Cross-Section of Jewish Life
JERUSALEM, Israel — Hundreds of revelers packed a Jerusalem ballroom Saturday night in tribute to an institution that from thousands of miles away has managed to unite Israelis of all political affiliations and modes of religious observance: Chabad-Lubavitch of Thailand.
The Feb. 2 gathering topped off a weekend-long celebration known as a Shabbaton; in this case, it was the organization’s 12th annual reunion party. Over the years, thousands of Israeli backpackers, tourists and business travelers have found their way to the network of Chabad Houses in Thailand, which began in 1993 with the establishment of the Bangkok-based Jewish Association of Thailand, directed by Rabbi Yosef Chaim and Nechama Dina Kantor.
“We are a home for every Jew in Thailand,” explained Nechama Dina Wilhelm, co-director with husband Rabbi Nechemya Wilhelm of Chabad of Bangkok-Ohr Menachem. “This Shabbat was just amazing. It was an opportunity to see that the connections don’t have to end in Thailand, but can continue for people after they get home.”
As they sipped glasses of white wine and munched on a selection of cakes, those who came to the reunion party reminisced about their times in Thailand. Some had visited the Asian nation during backpacking trips across the continent after getting out of the army; some went there as part of family vacations.
