Enjoying a seder with thousands in Kathmandu

JORDAN MOSHE

Almost 6 000 guests are expected across 22 seders in Thailand alone. All of these guests will have an experience quite unlike any other.

From the expanses of Croatia to the heights of the Himalayas, Chabad’s network enables Jews to celebrate Pesach no matter where they are in the world. “Whether a Jew is in Nepal or Croatia, Kathmandu or Thailand, he will be provided for,” said Rabbi David Masinter, the director of Chabad Johannesburg.

For more than 30 years, Chabad has held its world-famous seder in the Himalayas in the capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu, reaching a peak of about 2 000 guests in 2018.

The largest of Thailand’s seders last year was held on the island of Koh Samui, where about 2 500 Jews from around the world participated. They were seated in five separate sections, allowing Nepal to lay claim to having the largest seder in the world under one roof.

This year, however, the total number of seder participants on Koh Samui could exceed 2 800, all of whom will be accommodated in one place, with an added overhang of six tent sections divided by language, including English and Hebrew.

No matter where it is held, the goal of each seder is the same: unity. “Our seders are about increasing Jewish participation, education, and unity,” said Rabbi Yosef Chaim Kantor, Thailand’s chief rabbi and the country’s head Chabad emissary.

“Youth from Israel post-army, whole families, the young and the old, we do our best for all of them,” he said. This is indeed the case in Thailand, where those in attendance hail from countries around the world. Though most come from Israel, countries such as Australia, France, and the United States are also represented.

“At the seder, we meet people from all backgrounds,” said Rabbi Nechemia Wilhelm, who has directed Bangkok’s Chabad centre for the past 24 years with his wife, Nechami. “This includes people from the completely non-religious to the haredi. You see elderly and young, single people and whole families from every part of society. In short, copy the diversity of Israel, and paste it here.”

Unlike the seders in Kathmandu, which reportedly tend to draw backpackers and enlightenment seekers, seders in Thailand are attended by more local Jewish community members and businesspeople, as well as travellers. The latter commonly include many from Israel, among them a strong contingent of young soldiers recently out of the army.

Beyond Koh Samui, large public seders are planned this year for Chiang Mai, Phuket, neighbouring Laos under Thailand’s direction, and Pai, a Thai city being added this year for the first time.

Said Wilhelm, “Part of the beauty of the seder here is to see the unity of the Jewish people, with individuals from different backgrounds sitting together. It’s inspiring to see such a crowd here in Thailand. There is a place for personal seders, but there is a special power to being with so many people.

“You can’t imagine the feeling when 200 children go up on stage and say the Mah Nishtanah (Why is this night) together, or when 800 men sing the Pesach favourite, Echad Mi Yodea (Who knows one).

“We will have more than 6 000 people for Pesach in Thailand. It is a unifying energy that is hard to describe.”

With numbers like these, there is no question that Chabad’s required amount of kasher le’Pesach supplies is astronomical. Last year, Chabad of Kathmandu alone required more than 1 500 pounds (453kg) of matzah and 1 000 bottles of wine to accommodate the Pesach-seder crowd. The amount of cooked food is equally staggering. To accommodate the number of projected guests across Thailand this year, Chabad reports that an estimated 7 416 portions of chicken, 7 362 portions of beef, 7 353 portions of salmon, 2 220 bottles of wine, 3 210 kilograms of matzah, and 4 056 kilograms of salad varieties will be required.

The logistics of such mammoth preparation involve a dedicated fleet of forklifts, warehousing, high-tech food production conducted around the clock using industrial cooking equipment, trucking schedules, tent construction, electrical work, and the exhaustive co-ordination that accompanies such quantities of supplies and people. Collectively, 415 waiters, 150 security personnel, 41 rabbinic students, and four rabbinic couples will care for those in attendance this year.

Wilhelm said that as daunting as the logistics of such an operation may be, Chabad manages to perform wonders every year. “Products and supplies come mostly from Israel. We bring in several containers of matzah, wine, and plenty of other kasher le’Pesach products. Meat comes from Argentina, and chicken is slaughtered in Thailand. We even have plates and dishes coming from China. The logistics are difficult, but we pull it off.”

No matter where a Jew finds himself on Pesach, he can therefore be assured of good food and a memorable experience. “Jews find themselves up in monasteries, on mountain ranges, and in ashrams on their travels,” said Masinter. “Wherever they go, Chabad will meet them. People go back home inspired. Unbelievable stories have emerged from experiences in the furthest of locations.”

Masinter points out that if Jews can be looked after as far afield as Cyprus, the local Jewish community can certainly take care of people in Johannesburg. “You don’t need to go to Asia to find a seder,” he said. “There are people here right under our noses who could be in need of a seder in spite of being in the heart of a Jewish community.”

Chabad will host a public seder in Johannesburg, ensuring that no Jew will miss out on the meaningful occasion. “The chief rabbi of England put it so well,” said Masinter. “He said that where Hitler sought out every Jew to kill him, the Rebbe sought them out to bring them back to their roots.

“No matter where we find ourselves, our mission is the same,” he concludes. “We need to make sure that every Jew has a seder to go to.”