The permanent Jewish community in Nepal is very small and consists largely of diplomatic officials and Chabad staff.
Nepal established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1960. Among Jews, Nepal is known as the premier destination of Israeli backpackers. In 1986, the Israeli embassy in the Thamel section of Katmandu started the tradition of holding a Passover Seder for Israeli travelers. In 1999, the Chabad organization picked up this tradition and became the main organizer of this annual event. In 2006, the annual Chabad seder hosted 1,500 participants. The acting Chief Rabbi of Chabad in Nepal is Chezky Lifshitz. In November 2007, Rabbi Lifshitz announced the opening of a second permanent Chabad house in the city of Pokhara, to assist Jewish travelers in that area.
Famous quotes containing the words history of the, history of, history and/or jews:
“The foregoing generations beheld God and nature face to face; we, through their eyes. Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to the universe? Why should not we have a poetry and philosophy of insight and not of tradition, and a religion by revelation to us, and not the history of theirs?”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Like their personal lives, women’s history is fragmented, interrupted; a shadow history of human beings whose existence has been shaped by the efforts and the demands of others.”
—Elizabeth Janeway (b. 1913)
“We may pretend that we’re basically moral people who make mistakes, but the whole of history proves otherwise.”
—Terry Hands (b. 1941)
“Seventy-five million Jews deported or murdered, that’s cleansing. I admire such thoroughness, such methodical patience! When one has no character, one must have a method.”
—Albert Camus (1913–1960)