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, history and/or jews:
“The history of every country begins in the heart of a man or a woman.”
—Willa Cather (1876–1947)
“The disadvantage of men not knowing the past is that they do not know the present. History is a hill or high point of vantage, from which alone men see the town in which they live or the age in which they are living.”
—Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874–1936)
“... the histories of Blacks and Jews in bondage and out of bondage, have been blood histories pursued through our kindred searchings for self-determination. Let this blood be a stain of honor that we share. Let us not now become enemies to ourselves and to each other.”
—June Jordan (b. 1936)