Chabad of Central Africa will be appointing full-time, permanent representatives to Nairobi, Kenya, and Lagos, Nigeria under the auspices of Rabbi Shlomo Bentolila, Chabad’s representative to the region, in conjunction with Chabad-Lubavitch Headquarters in New York.

The rabbis will work in cooperation with the local Jewish communities of these respective cities.

The announcement, greeted by thunderous applause, was made by Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Vice Chairman of Merkos, at a gala event marking 20 years of Chabad in Central Africa Tuesday evening at the Grand Hotel in Kinshasa, Congo. Attending the event was Adolphe Muzito, the country's Prime Minister, along with other dignitaries including the senior adviser to the President and several members of the President's cabinet.

Despite an attack earlier this week at a military base in Kinshasa, and at the presidential residence, dozens flew in to participate at the event. Hundreds of guests, among them government officials, foreign ambassadors and prominent businessmen attended. Rabbinic colleagues of Rabbi Bentolila traveled from numerous countries to celebrate.

President of the Democratic Republic of Congo,  Joseph Kabila called Rabbi Bentolila at the event to congratulate him and offer his greetings. "He expressed gratitude for the confidence that Chabad and the Jewish community have in his country," Rabbi Bentolila told Lubavitch.com.

Reporting from the event, Yaacov Behrman said, “The streets of Kinshasa are calm. This is a beautiful country, and we feel very safe here.” 

To date, Rabbi Bentolila has been hosting Chabad educational and social service programs in 14 countries throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.