Israeli group opens ‘secular house’ on Koh Phangan

Activists promote non-religious alternative to Chabad ‘indoctrination’ on tourist island

A group of secular Israelis has opened a community centre on Koh Phangan, saying it wants to offer Israeli visitors to the tourist island an alternative to the “indoctrination” found at Chabad houses.

The Secular House is the brainchild of the Free Secular Movement, an activist organisation that promotes secularism and the separation of religion and state in Israel, the Jerusalem Post reported.

It has been set up directly opposite the local Chabad House on Koh Phangan.

The island in Surat Thani is the most popular destination for the more than 450,000 Israelis who visit Thailand each year. The number of Israelis residing on the island is estimated at between 1,000 and 4,000, including families who relocated long-term and local business owners.

The Free Secular Movement actively opposes the Chabad movement and the concept of Chabad houses abroad, Naor Narkis, a secular Zionist activist and politician, told the Jerusalem Post.

“The purpose of these Chabad houses, through sweet talk, is to shape generations of secular Israelis into becoming indifferent to attempts by Chabad-Lubavitch to take over Israel,” it quoted him as saying.

“We all know the phenomenon: Chabad Houses spread across the world, reaching out to secular young Israelis with guitars and cheap food, and through that they promote religious outreach, belief in the ‘Messiah King’ and their vision of turning Israel into a religious state governed by Jewish law — all for a bowl of lentils.”

Mr Narkis said the secular house would host workshops on secular Jewish philosophy, Friday dinners centred around secular identity, yoga sessions, readings from the writings of philosopher Baruch Spinoza, discussions of the ideas of Shulamit Aloni, seafood cooking workshops, local Thai cuisine, community evenings, networking, social meetups and a coworking space for digital nomads.

Chabad houses are informal Jewish community and outreach centres operated by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. They function as a “home away from home” for Jewish travellers, students and residents, offering religious services, classes, counselling and communal meals.

There are six Chabad houses in Thailand: in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Pai.

“Religious organisations are present everywhere Israelis are found; their strategy is transparent and clear — and I’m so happy that a secular foothold is now being planted thousands of kilometres away from Israel in order to strengthen secular identity,” Mr Mr Narkis said.