Chabad Emissaries Evacuated By Boat From Flooded Center in Vietnam

Rain is not unusual in Vietnam. Some regions receive close to 100 inches of rain a year. But this year’s rainy season has seen typhoon after typhoon slam into the Vietnamese coast — twelve already in 2025, exceeding what they’d expect in an entire year. 

In the central Vietnamese tourist destination of Hoi An, the Thu Bồn River reached a 60-year high, flooding nearby neighborhoods and leaving more than a dozen dead. Chabad-Lubavitch of Hoi An, located just two blocks from the waterfront, was partly submerged under water. Chabad reps to Hoi An, Rabbi Mendel and Rocheli Fridman, were stuck with their young children on the second floor of their nearby home for nearly three days, with neither power nor running water, as water levels continued to rise.

While waiting to be rescued, the Fridmans fielded calls from tourists and locals in desperate need of aid, coordinating distribution of food and water and the rescue of others from some of the 100,000 homes that had been flooded.

Soldiers of the Vietnam Border Guard finally arrived at the Fridmans’ home, transporting them to higher ground in a small rigid-hulled inflatable boat. Left with little more than the clothes on their back, the Fridmans are busy helping their community even as they wait to determine the extent of the flood damage that their now-inaccessible center has sustained.

More than 4 million tourists visit Hoi An each year, including tens of thousands of Jewish backpackers from Israel and visitors from around the world. In 2022, the Fridmans moved to Hoi An, where they host hundreds of guests each week for Shabbat dinner, and welcome tourists to their kosher restaurant throughout the week. More than 750 people celebrated Rosh Hashanah with Chabad of Hoi An this year, joining the small, budding local community and the ever-growing number of Jewish tourists. 

Rabbi Fridman says he is unsure how long it will take to restore the deluged Chabad center, but they will continue to be there for local in need. “Our first priority is to help those in crisis. And we will work as quickly as possible to get our Chabad center back up, and open.”

To donate to Chabad of Hoi An’s flood relief efforts, click here.