Colel Chabad

Colel Chabad (Hebrew: כולל חב"ד‎‎) was founded in 1788 and is the oldest continuously operating charity in Israel. The institution runs a network of soup kitchens and food banks, dental and medical clinics, daycare centers, widow and orphan support, and immigrant assistance programs. It also provides interest-free loans, camp scholarships, career training and job placement, subsidized weddings for the poor, and many other social-welfare projects.

Colel Chabad was founded by the first Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, and was headed by each Lubavitcher Rebbe thereafter. It is also known as the charity of Rabbi Meir Ba'al HaNes. Its current director is Rabbi Sholom Duchman.

In 2005 Colel Chabad ranked #117 among the top Canadian registered charities by expenditures outside Canada, with $2,623,290 in expenditures.

Colel Chabad presently operates 19 soup kitchens in Israel: 3 in Jerusalem, 3 in Safed, 4 in Ashdod, 4 in Lod, and one each in Ashkelon, Beersheva, Dimona, Ramle, and Yerucham. These kitchens feed 3,000 poor and elderly people daily. One of the Jerusalem soup kitchens is located directly opposite the Western Wall.

A Meals on Wheels program delivers 1,500 meals daily to the homebound, sick and elderly through five kitchens nationwide.

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