UAE’s Mohammed bin Zayed Makes Major Donation to Chabad in Wake of Rabbi’s Murder
UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan made generous financial donations to the extremist Jewish organization Chabad following the murder of one of its rabbis, Tzvi Kogan, in the UAE under mysterious circumstances a few days ago.
As part of his urgent efforts to minimize the damage to the UAE’s image in attracting Jews, Mohammed bin Zayed immediately strengthened open communication channels with Jewish organizations, especially Chabad.
Emirates Leaks has learned that Mohammed bin Zayed instructed the disbursement of five million dollars as an initial payment to Chabad’s account to support its global activities and institutions.
Furthermore, Mohammed bin Zayed pledged to fund Chabad’s plans to establish a new Jewish center in the UAE, which will be named “Beit Zvi” in honor of the rabbi who was killed in the UAE.
Chabad is one of the most prominent global Jewish movements, founded around 250 years ago in Russia by Rabbi Schneur Zalman. Its philosophy focuses on wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, aiming to teach Jewish teachings and promote spiritual and social values.
Over the decades, Chabad has expanded to become a major force in Jewish life, especially after Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson’s efforts to establish its global presence after World War II.
Chabad operates more than 3,500 institutions across 85 countries, including the UAE, where the organization has been publicly active since the normalization of relations between Abu Dhabi and Israel in 2020.
Chabad played a significant role in establishing the first Jewish educational center in the Gulf from the UAE and expanding the availability of kosher (Jewish law-compliant) food. It has also organized events to introduce Judaism and enhance relations with local communities.
Chabad’s approach is based on the teachings of its seven leaders, known as the “Rebbes,” who are spiritual leaders of the Hasidic sect. These leaders have contributed to explaining some of the deepest and most complex aspects of Jewish mysticism, embodying Torah values related to piety and wise leadership.
Chabad continues its global expansion, with Rabbi Yitzhak Yisrael Herzog, one of its emissaries, announcing the opening of the first “Chabad House” in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2023.
This center is the first of its kind in modern Saudi history, aimed at serving the needs of Jewish expatriates working in the country.
This move reflects Chabad’s strategy for worldwide expansion to reach Jewish communities everywhere, even in Muslim-majority countries, under the guise of normalization.
The organization holds a hardline stance on Palestinians, refusing to recognize their rights and calling for their expulsion. After the October 7, 2023, events and the ongoing war in Gaza, Chabad called for the resettlement of the Gaza Strip.
The Chabad logo appeared on Israeli military equipment used in the war on Gaza, which sparked widespread criticism.
Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, 28, one of the organization’s prominent emissaries in the UAE, worked alongside Chief Rabbi Levi Duchman. Kogan, who joined Chabad in 2022, played an active role in promoting Jewish life in the UAE.
He also ran a store offering kosher products for the Jewish community in Abu Dhabi before his body was found last Sunday in an incident that sparked widespread controversy and confusion among UAE authorities in handling the situation.
