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Death of Zvi Kogan

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On 21 November 2024, Zvi Kogan (Hebrew: צבי קוגן, born 11 August 1996), an Israeli-Moldovan ultra-Orthodox rabbi residing in the United Arab Emirates, was abducted; he was then killed. He was an envoy of the Orthodox Jewish Hasidic organization Chabad. On 24 November 2024, a body was found and confirmed to be that of Kogan.[2]

Rabbi
Zvi Kogan
הרב צבי קוגן הי"ד ‎
Personal
Born(1996-08-11)11 August 1996
Ramat Shlomo, Jerusalem
Diedc. 21 November 2024(2024-11-21) (aged 28)
Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
ReligionJudaism
NationalityIsraeli and Moldovan
SpouseRivky Spielman[1]
Parent(s)Alexander and Etel
Alma materChabad and Litvish Yeshivas
ProfessionRabbi
OccupationAssistant to the Chief Rabbi of the UAE
Jewish leader
ProfessionRabbi
OrganisationChabad
BuriedMount of Olives, Jerusalem
ResidenceAbu Dhabi, UAE

Background

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Kogan was born in 1996 in Ramat Shlomo, Jerusalem, to Alexander and Etel Kogan.[3] He was raised in his Litvaks-Haredi family with his older brother, Reuven.[3][4][5]

As a teenager, Kogan learned at Yeshiva Maoz Chayil in Jerusalem, Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Ozer in Bnei Brak, and finally at the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem.[6] Before he moved to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), he served his mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces' 84th "Givati" Infantry Brigade.[3][7][8] He was a dual citizen of Israel and Moldova.[9]

Kogan and his wife, Rivky (née Spielman), a U.S. citizen, were married in 2022. She then joined him in Abu Dhabi.[10] She is the niece of Gavriel Noach Holtzberg, a Chabad rabbi who was murdered with his wife by an Islamist militant group in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in India.[11][12]

Kogan was an ultra-Orthodox rabbi, and a representative of the Orthodox Jewish Hasidic organization Chabad's Abu Dhabi chapter.[13][14] He had been so since the UAE normalized diplomatic relations with Israel in the Abraham Accords in 2020.[15][16] He worked to explain Judaism and disprove myths and stereotypes about the religion.[17] He was an assistant to Chief Rabbi of the UAE, Levi Duchman.[18] He also managed a kosher supermarket, Rimon, on Al Wasl Road in Dubai, where he was a resident.[19][20][21] Chabad stated that he "worked to expand Jewish life in the UAE" with Duchman through ways that included ensuring the availability of kosher food and opening the country's first Jewish education center.[11]

In 2021, Kogan led a Yizkor memorial prayer during the UAE's first Holocaust remembrance day memorial.[18]

Abduction and killing

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Before his abduction, Kogan was last seen at the kosher supermarket he managed in Dubai. He then failed to attend scheduled meetings and his wife lost contact with him, leading her to alert a Chabad security chief, who in turn notified local authorities.[5] Kogan had been missing since the afternoon of 21 November 2024. However, Kogan's family said that he stopped contacting them the day prior.[22]

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced Kogan's disappearance on 23 November 2024 in a statement on behalf of the Mossad, and said that Israeli security and intelligence services were investigating the incident.[23][24] It sparked a joint investigation from the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad and Emirati authorities.[25] An Israeli delegation arrived in the UAE to aid the investigation.[26] Mossad led the investigation into his disappearance, treating it as a terrorist incident.[27]

Kogan's car and phone were found abandoned in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, 150 kilometres (93 mi) from Dubai and on the border of Oman.[28][29][30] There was blood and there were signs of a violent struggle found in his car.[31][32]

Initial reports said that Kogan had been followed by three Uzbeks while he drove to the city after leaving Rimon, the supermarket that he managed.[26] Investigators later said that the assailants tracked Kogan's movements, and then kidnapped him and transported him to Al Ain in his own car, where he was killed.[32] The killers were suspected of then having fled to Turkey.[26] The Israeli intelligence agency Mossad accused Iran of being behind Kogan's murder.[26] The Iranian embassy in the UAE denied any Iranian involvement in the murder, and said no evidence had been presented to support the accusation.[33]

His body was discovered on 24 November 2024. Kogan was 28.[10]

Arrests

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On 24 November, the UAE Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of three Uzbekistan citizens suspected of kidnapping and murdering Kogan.[34] The three suspects, Olimboy Tohirovich (28), Makhmudjon Abdurakhim (28), and Azizbek Kamilovich (33), were arrested in Istanbul, Turkey during a secret operation by Turkish intelligence and police, who acted on a UAE government request. The suspects were caught after landing on a flight to Istanbul.[35] The suspects were then extradited to the Emirates at the request of the UAE.[14][36][37] The ministry announced the initiation of legal proceedings, with reports indicating that the three suspects could face the death penalty.[38]

Reactions

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he was "deeply shocked" by the killing and vowed that all means would be used to bring the killers, and "those who dispatched them", to justice.[39] Israeli President Isaac Herzog also condemned the killing.[40] The killing occurred as Iran had threatened to retaliate to Israeli airstrikes on its territory on 26 October that took place during a period of heightened tensions between the two countries.[41]

Moldova called it an "act of antisemitism."[42] Moldovan president Maia Sandu wrote on X that "we mourn the tragic loss" of Kogan and "strongly condemn this hateful act".[43][37]

The United States' Biden Administration condemned the crime, stating that it was "a horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance, and coexistence" and that "those who carried out this crime, and anyone supporting them, must be held fully accountable."[44]

U.S. Member of Congress Ritchie Torres said: "I am shaken by the news of the antisemitic abduction and murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, who was kidnapped and killed simply for being Jewish. May his memory be a blessing." Torres also criticized The New York Times for the headline of their article.[45] The New York Times had first covered the matter with the headline: "Israeli rabbi who disappeared in Dubai is found dead"; after the newspaper was criticized for apparently downplaying the fact that Kogan had been kidnapped (not just disappeared) and killed (not just died), the paper later changed its headline to read: "An Israeli Rabbi Is Abducted and Killed in the U.A.E."[46]

On 25 November 2024, Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of past and incoming U.S. president Donald Trump, who had brokered the Abraham Accords which normalized relations between the UAE and Israel in 2020, and his wife, Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump, announced a $1 million donation to the Chabad center in the UAE where Kogan had worked. Shortly afterward, Kushner's brother and sister-in-law, Joshua Kushner and Karlie Kloss, matched the contribution with an additional $1 million donation.[47][48]

The UAE ambassador to the United States, Yousef Al Otaiba, called Kogan’s murder “a crime against the U.A.E.”[28] The Emirati government stated on 24 November that three perpetrators "involved in the murder” had been arrested.[49]

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its condolences to Kogan's family. They also thanked Turkey for "their cooperation in arresting the perpetrators".[35] The UAE also praised the professionalism of the Emirati authorities, who managed the investigation.[36]

The Iranian Embassy in the UAE "categorically denied" accusations of Iranian involvement in Kogan's murder.[50]

The American Muslim & Multifaith Women's Empowerment Council (AMMWEC) condemned the killing. AMMWEC President & CEO Anila Ali blamed anti-Semitism "in the Arab world and the west" for the killing of Kogan, and said that "leaders of the free world" and "Arab countries" must do more to prevent the spread of anti-Semitism.[51]

Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs said Uzbekistan has been closely cooperating with UAE and Israeli authorities in the investigation.[36]

Funeral

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On 25 November, Kogan's body was transferred to Israel. His burial ceremonies began in the evening of 25 November, at 770 in the Chabad-Lubavitch town of Kfar Chabad in central Israel, and proceeded to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, where he was buried.[28][52][53][54][excessive citations] Kogan was eulogized by many rabbis and leaders including the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel Kalman Meir Ber, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel David Yosef, Rabbi Levi Duchman, who had worked alongside Kogan in the UAE, and Kogan's father, Rabbi Alexander Kogan.[55][56]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "'He Reminded me of Gabi, It's a Difficult Test'". anash.org. 24 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  2. ^ Goldenberg, Tia; Gambrell, Jon (24 November 2024). "Israel says rabbi who went missing in the UAE was killed. The government arrests 3". The Washington Post. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c New, Moshe (24 November 2024). "Chabad Rabbi Zvi Kogan, 28, Murdered by Terrorists in the UAE". Chabad. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  4. ^ מנחם (23 November 2024). "חשד לחטיפה או רצח: שליח הרבי באבו דאבי הרב צבי קוגן נעלם". חב"ד אינפו (in Hebrew). Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Missing Chabad-Lubavitch emissary may have been followed". Israel National News. 23 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  6. ^ "More Details: Missing Chabad-Lubavitch Shliach May Have Been Followed". Matzav. 23 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  7. ^ אייכנר, איתמר; ארי, ליאור בן; פריד, שילֹה (23 November 2024). "שירת בגבעתי, שימש כעוזר הרב הראשי בדובאי: זהו שליח חב"ד שגובר החשש שנרצח". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Chabad emissary to UAE Zvi Kogan murdered in 'antisemitic terrorist attack'". Chabad.org. 24 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  9. ^ "President Maia Sandu condemns killing of Rabbi Zvi Kogan in UAE," moldova1, 25 November 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Rabbi Zvi Kogan, 28, Murdered by Terrorists". The Jerusalem Post. 24 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Body of slain Chabad rabbi found in UAE; Israel condemns 'antisemitic act of terror'". The Times of Israel. 24 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  12. ^ "Who was rabbi Kogan, Israeli-Moldovan citizen killed in UAE?". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  13. ^ Jon Gambrell (25 November 2024). "The UAE arrests 3 Uzbek nationals for the killing of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi," The Los Angeles Times.
  14. ^ a b "‘The whole world is shaken’: Chabad rabbi murdered in UAE laid to rest in Israel," The Times of Israel, 25 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Reports: Body found amid searches for Chabad rabbi missing in UAE; identification tests underway". The Times of Israel. 24 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  16. ^ Gardner, Frank (23 November 2024). "Rabbi who went missing in UAE was murdered, Israel says". BBC News. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Israel intelligence investigating rabbi's disappearance in United Arab Emirates as 'terrorist incident'". UPI. 23 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Chabad rabbi missing in Abu Dhabi, feared kidnapped or murdered". The Times of Israel. 23 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  19. ^ Maya Oppenheim (24 November 2024). "Dubai rabbi Zvi Kogan killed in ‘heinous terror incident’ says Israel; Netanyahu vows to ‘seek justice’ over death of Zvi Kogan in Dubai," The Independent.
  20. ^ "Missing rabbi killed in the UAE in "heinous antisemitic terror incident," Israel says," CBS News, November 24, 2024.
  21. ^ Lynch, Niamhie (24 November 2024). "Body of missing rabbi Zvi Kogan found in UAE - as Israeli PM says he was murdered in 'antisemitic terror incident'". Sky News. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  22. ^ Eichner, Itamar (23 November 2024). "Chabad emissary reported missing in UAE, feared abducted or dead in terror plot". Ynetnews. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  23. ^ "Israeli-Moldovan rabbi living in UAE is missing. Israeli officials fear he may have been kidnapped". AP News. 23 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  24. ^ "Mossad investigating disappearance of rabbi in Abu Dhabi in potential terror incident, Israeli PM's office says". Sky News. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  25. ^ "Rabbi Zvi Kogan was murdered in UAE, Israel says". BBC News. 23 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  26. ^ a b c d Eichner, Itamar (23 November 2024). "Missing Chabad emissary's car found abandoned; suspected killed by Iran-linked cell". Ynetnews. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  27. ^ "Mossad investigating missing Chabad emissary in Dubai, may have been under Iranian surveillance". The Jerusalem Post. 23 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  28. ^ a b c Ismaeel Naar (25 November 2024). "U.A.E. Arrests 3 Uzbeks Linked to Murder of Israeli Rabbi," The New York Times.
  29. ^ Alexander Cornwell and Crispian Balmer (November 24, 2024). "UAE arrests three suspects in killing of Israeli rabbi," Reuters.
  30. ^ "Report: Missing rabbi's car found abandoned near Abu Dhabi". The Times of Israel. 23 November 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  31. ^ Lazar Berman (25 November 2024). "United Arab Emirates arrests three suspects in killing of Chabad rabbi Zvi Kogan," Australian Jewish News.
  32. ^ a b Eichner, Itamar (24 November 2024). "UAE says suspects captured in Chabad emissary's killing". Ynetnews. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  33. ^ "Iran rejects involvement in murder of Israeli rabbi in UAE". en.isna.ir. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  34. ^ Michaelis, Tamar (23 November 2024). "UAE arrests three over death of rabbi Israel says was murdered in 'antisemitic act of terror'". CNN. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  35. ^ a b "Turkey helped UAE to arrest suspects accused of killing Israeli rabbi". Yahoo. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  36. ^ a b c Ajanta, Paul (26 November 2024). "UAE offers condolences to Zvi Kogan's family, thanks Turkey for help in arresting 3 suspects". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  37. ^ a b "UAE names Uzbek suspects in Israeli rabbi's murder". France 24. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  38. ^ "UAE IDs 3 Uzbek suspects in murder of Chabad Rabbi Zvi Kogan". JNS. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  39. ^ "Netanyahu vows: 'None of Rabbi Zvi Kogan's murderers will get away'". Israel National News. 24 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  40. ^ "Israel says rabbi who went missing in the UAE was killed". AP News. 24 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  41. ^ "Israeli rabbi kidnapped in UAE, sparking fears of Iran's involvement". Iran International. 23 November 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  42. ^ David Gritten (25 November 2024). "UAE says three Uzbeks arrested over Israeli-Moldovan rabbi's murder", BBC.
  43. ^ "Three Uzbeks held in UAE over Israeli rabbi's murder". France 24. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  44. ^ "Statement by NSC Spokesperson Sean Savett on the Murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan in the UAE". The White House. 24 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  45. ^ "Ritchie Torres calls out NYT for saying murdered Rabbi Zvi Kogan 'disappeared'". Israel National News. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  46. ^ Yael Halon (25 November 2024). "NYT changes headline about murdered Dubai rabbi following public outcry: 'Call it for what it is," Yahoo.
  47. ^ "Jared Kushner donates $1 million to Chabad of United Arab Emirates after rabbi murdered". The Forward. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  48. ^ "Ivanka and Kushner Brothers Pledge $2 Million to Chabad UAE". COL Live. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  49. ^ Aaron Boxerman and Ismaeel Naar (24 November 2024). "An Israeli Rabbi Is Abducted and Killed in the U.A.E.; The Israeli authorities called the killing of Rabbi Zvi Kogan an act of terrorism. The Emirati government said it had arrested three people in connection with the murder," The New York Times.
  50. ^ "Iran denies suggestions of involvement in rabbi's murder in UAE". Al Jazeera. 24 November 2024. The Iranian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates says it "categorically rejects the allegations of Iran's involvement in the murder of this individual".
  51. ^ "AMMWEC Condemns Murder Of Rabbi Zvi Kogan In The UAE". MENAFN. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  52. ^ "Body of Rabbi Zvi Kogan flown back to Israel". Israel National News. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  53. ^ Freid, Shilo (25 November 2024). "Thousands gather to mourn Chabad rabbi murdered in UAE". Ynetnews. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  54. ^ Woolf, Avi (25 November 2024). "Rabbi Kogan to be buried in Jerusalem today". JFeed. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  55. ^ "Funeral of Rabbi Zvi Kogan". Israel National News. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  56. ^ "Heavens Cry at Levaya of Murdered UAE Shliach Rabbi Zvi Kogan". COL Live. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
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