'Earthquakes, Avalanches, but Never Antisemitism' Famed Chabad House in Kathmandu Shutters After Landlord 'Doesn't Want Israeli Presence'
Chani and Chezi Lifshitz, who ran the facility for the past 20 years, are looking for a new place to rent and say they have no intention of leaving the Himalayan country
Judy Maltz
January 04 2026 IST
The Chabad house in Nepal – a hugely popular destination for Israeli backpackers – closed down a few days ago, indicating how far the growing tide of international hostility toward Israel now extends.
The facility, which has been run for the past 20 years by Chani and Chezki Lifshitz, is famous for holding one of the largest Passover seders in the world, with about 2,000 guests each year.
"We've been through earthquakes, avalanches and revolutions in this country, but never before antisemitism," said Lifshitz, in a phone call with Haaretz.
"It all started with the war in Gaza. Suddenly, there was this climate of fear. Our landlord started making all sorts of requests. He didn't want signs in Hebrew. Then he didn't want us to speak Hebrew because he feared he would be suspected of being an Israeli spy. Then came all sorts of financial decrees, and finally, he said in no uncertain terms, 'I don't want an Israeli presence here. I want you to leave.' He gave us a few days to get out."
First reported on by Ynet, the family evacuated what had served as the Chabad house on Thursday and has since been living in a room in a local guesthouse, where they hosted a small Shabbat dinner this past weekend. "It feels like we're back at square one, and it's a humbling experience," reflected Lifshitz.
A group of Israelis gather for a passover seder in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2013. Credit: AFP
Lifshitz and her husband, both Israeli, were sent to Kathmandu by the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish outreach movement 25 years ago. She said they have no intention of leaving the Himalayan nation and are now scouting for another location for their Chabad house. To finance the move, they have launched a fundraising drive.
The sprawling facility they ran for the past two decades was located in an area of the Nepalese capital popular with tourists and included two restaurants, a synagogue and a luggage storage room.
"We put our heart and soul into that place," she said.
According to Lifshitz, the Chabad house hosted on average 25,000 backpackers a year, between 400 and 500 every weekend for Shabbat dinner.
After completing their military service, in what has come to be considered a rite of passage, young Israelis often take time off to travel the world, with Nepal high on their list of destinations.
The Lifshitzes were featured in a 13-episode 2012 Israeli TV drama called "Kathmandu."
Amid the rising tide of anti-Israel sentiment, a young Israeli tourist was attacked in Nepal last month and required hospitalization. He said he believed the assault was motivated by hatred of Israel since he had just finished recording a voice message in Hebrew, and his attackers did not steal anything from him.