As China is sealed off, some Chabad centers are staying put
The epicenter of the virus is in China, where millions of people are fleeing from a disease that is killing about 2 percent of its victims. In Wuhan, a city of 11 million that has been closed to stop the spread of the virus, five million people have left.
Though China does not have a large Jewish population, there is a small community made up of locals and international businessman. As in other parts of the world, Chabad has established itself in the country to provide a warm Shabbos meal and Jewish services. On Monday, I reached out to the Lubavitcher shaliach in Shanghai, Rabbi Shalom Greenberg, to ask a few questions about the situation.
“I’m busy,” he replied.
Rabbi Greenberg has been living in China for 21 years, and he and his wife have seven children. The older boys learn in yeshivah in Detroit, while the girls and younger sons live in China. His oldest daughter teaches in the local Jewish kindergarten.
Two hours after my initial e-mail, he wrote back that he could take a brief break.
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