111 Countries, 4,000 Communities: Chabad Emissaries Gather in NY

Thousands of Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries from around the world gathered in recent days for the annual International Conference of Chabad Emissaries, known as the Kinus Hashluchim. As part of a longstanding tradition, participants assembled for a group photograph outside the headquarters of the Lubavitcher Rebbe in New York.

The emissaries, representing 111 countries and more than 4,000 communities, stood shoulder to shoulder outside Chabad’s world headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, reflecting the movement’s global presence and its commitment to Jewish life in communities around the world.

Today, the worldwide network of Chabad emissaries includes 6,489 families, of whom 1,401 are based in Israel.

This year’s gathering coincided with the conclusion of the traditional 11-month recitation of the Mourner’s Kaddish in memory of the 16 victims of the terrorist attack at a Chabad Chanukah celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, last December. Among those killed was Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a Chabad emissary.

Responding to Darkness by Bringing More Light

Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, director of the conference, reflected on the significance of this year’s gathering. “This year’s conference takes place at a time when Jewish people around the world need encouragement and hope,” he said. “Less than a year ago, we lost 16 precious souls in the horrific terrorist attack during the Chanukah celebration at Bondi Beach. Yet, by the very next evening, menorahs were lit in public squares around the world, shining brighter and drawing unprecedented numbers of participants.”

“Throughout our history, in the face of every hardship and challenge, the Jewish people have responded to darkness by adding light,” Kotlarsky continued. “As a global Jewish support network, Chabad emissaries are on the front lines, caring for the needs of their communities around the clock. This photograph sends a clear message: The Jewish people are alive, strong, proud, and we are not going anywhere.”

A Jewish Home Anywhere in the World

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Aharonov, chairman of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad in Israel, emphasized the far-reaching impact of the Chabad emissary network and the decades of dedication behind its growth.

“If you ask a Jew, from any community or background, what Chabad emissaries do, the answer will come without hesitation: ‘They establish Chabad Houses,’” he said. “The concept has become an inseparable part of the global Jewish vocabulary. But this did not happen overnight. The Rebbe laid the foundations of this remarkable network through the tireless efforts of his emissaries over many decades.”

“A Jew can be very far from home and still know there is a door he can knock on without having to explain who he is or what he believes. He is a Jew, and therefore, that home belongs to him as well.”