Fire destroyed the main synagogue at the grave of the founder of Chabad in Hadiach: what is known

A large-scale fire occurred in the religious and pilgrimage complex near the burial site of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi — the Alter Rebbe, founder of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement and author of the book “Tanya,” in the city of Hadiach, Poltava region.

The fire started on Friday, July 24, 2026, at 11:36 PM, just a few dozen minutes before midnight. The fire engulfed the central building of the complex, which housed the main synagogue, kitchen, dining rooms, and accommodations for pilgrims. The fire continued into the night of Saturday, July 25, which according to the Jewish calendar corresponded to 11 Av 5786.

According to preliminary estimates by Chabad representatives, the material damage could amount to millions of dollars. This is not yet the final amount confirmed by a state examination, but the first estimate by the complex administration after inspecting the damage.

Previously we wrote:

Where did Ukraine get ≈17 million dollars for the repair of the “road to the grave of Shneur Zalman of Liadi (founder of Chabad)”: what is written in Israel and what documents show in Ukraine.

A “Cohen Bridge” was built in Ukraine for $1,000,000: in Hadiach, the Chabad shrine was made accessible to the descendants of ancient priests — what is it and for what purpose?

The central building is almost destroyed

The main building of the pilgrimage complex, also known as “Rabbeinu HaGadol” and the “Admor HaZaken” center, suffered the most serious damage.

The central part of the complex was almost completely destroyed by fire. The main synagogue burned down, significant damage was done to the professional kitchen, dining rooms, and facilities intended for accommodating and serving guests.

The fire destroyed the synagogue and heavily damaged the kitchen and guest infrastructure. Published footage after the fire shows that the roof of the central building collapsed, and the interior was burned out.

Official Ukrainian reports still use more cautious wording. According to the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Poltava region, the roof and walls of the religious organization’s building were seriously damaged. This difference in descriptions is explained by the fact that rescuers published operational information, while community representatives were later able to assess the condition of the interior.

People evacuated themselves and saved valuables

People who were in the synagogue at the time the fire started left the building on their own before the fire completely engulfed the central premises.

Some of them, along with local staff, managed to carry out religious valuables. Chabad representatives reported that several Torah scrolls were saved. The exact number of scrolls, books, and other items carried out has not yet been publicly disclosed.

According to available information, there are no dead or injured. Rabbi Shneur Zalman Deutsch, representing Chabad in Hadiach and responsible for the complex’s operations, as well as his wife and children, are safe. Ynet clarifies that the rabbi himself was not in the city at the time of the fire.

NANews — Israel News notes that the absence of casualties was the main positive outcome of the incident, considering the speed of the fire’s spread and the scale of the destruction of the central building.

What is known about the cause of the fire

A preliminary version is being considered that the fire could have started due to a short circuit or other electrical network malfunction.

However, the official cause of the fire has not yet been established. Specialists continue to inspect the damaged premises, and the investigation is considering all possible versions.

At the time of preparing the material, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies and the SES had not published a final expert conclusion. There is also no confirmed data on arson, anti-Semitic attack, or the impact of a Russian munition.

Therefore, claims of deliberate destruction of the complex or military attack currently have no official confirmation. The main working version remains a technical malfunction, but final conclusions should be made by fire-technical experts.

The available reports also do not yet specify the exact number of firefighters, the number of equipment units, and the time of complete fire extinguishment. It is known that eyewitnesses called rescuers shortly after the fire was discovered, and by July 25 the fire was extinguished.

Was the grave of the Alter Rebbe affected

It is necessary to clarify separately that the fire occurred in the central prayer and guest building located near the burial site of Rabbi Shneur Zalman.

In the published official and community reports, there is no information yet that the fire damaged the ohel itself — the structure directly above the grave of the Alter Rebbe. There is also no confirmation of the destruction of the burial itself.

Therefore, statements that the “grave of the founder of Chabad” burned in Hadiach are inaccurate. The destruction of the main synagogue and serious damage to the infrastructure of the pilgrimage complex near the grave has been confirmed.

What was in the complex

The Jewish religious community “Alter Rebbe” and the center of Hasidism “Admor HaZaken” are located on the outskirts of Hadiach, in the Poltava region. The complex was built with funds from benefactors and patrons from different countries around the world.

Before the fire, it housed:

• a large central synagogue;
• a library of religious literature;
• a mikvah;
• a professional kitchen;
• spacious dining rooms;
• dozens of rooms for pilgrims;
• separate residential and auxiliary buildings;
• premises for prayers, classes, and commemorative events.

The Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine indicates that the main task of the center was to provide thousands of pilgrims with housing, food, and everything necessary during their visit to the ohel of the Alter Rebbe.

The construction of the modern complex began almost two decades ago. The main building was completed in 2013, during events dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the passing of the Alter Rebbe. After that, the center continued to expand and develop.

Rabbi Shneur Deutsch manages the complex throughout the year, receives pilgrims, and provides assistance to Jewish communities in the Poltava region, where hundreds of Jews live.

Why Hadiach holds special significance for Jews

Shneur Zalman of Liadi, known as the Alter Rebbe and Baal HaTanya, was born in 1745 in Liozna, in present-day Belarus. He became the founder of the intellectual direction of Chabad Hasidism and wrote “Tanya” — one of the most important books in the Chabad tradition.

In 1812, during the war of the Russian Empire with Napoleon, the Alter Rebbe left Liadi. During the journey, he fell ill and died on December 26, 1812. His body was brought to Hadiach, Poltava province, where he was buried in the local Jewish cemetery.

Over subsequent generations, the grave of the Alter Rebbe remained a place of prayer and pilgrimage.

During the Holocaust, the Jewish community of Hadiach was almost completely destroyed. In the Soviet period, believers’ access to religious sites was severely restricted.

In the late 1980s, by order of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, special emissaries began visiting and restoring the burial sites of Chabad leaders in the Soviet Union. In 1987–1990, Rabbi David Nachshon participated in these works, in particular.

After the collapse of the USSR, the area near the grave of the Alter Rebbe began to turn into a major international religious center.

About 10,000 visitors annually even during the war

Before the full-scale Russian aggression, the complex in Hadiach was visited annually by tens of thousands of people.

Even during the war, about 10,000 pilgrims a year continue to visit the grave of the Alter Rebbe. About a third of them visit Hadiach in connection with the yahrzeit of the Alter Rebbe — the anniversary of his passing, observed on 24 Tevet, usually in December or January.

At other times, organized groups of Ukrainian Jews, community representatives from different regions of Ukraine, as well as pilgrims from Israel, Europe, and the United States, arrive in Hadiach.

Due to the closure of Ukrainian airspace, many foreign visitors fly to Chisinau and then continue their journey to Hadiach by car. Such a trip can take from 12 to 15 hours.

Israeli sources call the complex near the grave of the Alter Rebbe the second largest place of Jewish pilgrimage and prayer in Ukraine after Uman.

The complex is planned to be restored

Rabbi Shneur Deutsch stated that the complex’s staff is in shock. According to him, the central building, into which years of work were invested, has practically turned to ashes.

Despite the scale of the destruction, the rabbi confirmed the intention to fully restore the complex. He acknowledged that the work would require significant resources and time but expressed confidence that Jewish communities and Chabad followers worldwide would join in the restoration.

The chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine, Rabbi Meir Stambler, reported that the organization is awaiting the final results of the investigation and is maintaining contact with Ukrainian authorities.

The Federation is preparing to provide new religious books, sacred texts, and items necessary for restoring the complex’s prayer life. The final amount of damage, reconstruction budget, and start dates for construction work have not yet been announced.

There has already been a fire in the Jewish center in Hadiach

The current incident is not the first fire on the territory of the Jewish religious center in Hadiach.

On March 21, 2017, an auxiliary room of the Charitable Cultural and Religious Center, owned by the Federation of Jewish Religious Communities of Ukraine, caught fire.

At that time, firefighters extinguished the fire in about 40 minutes and managed to save the main building. The fire destroyed about 60 square meters of foam. The main version was a spark from welding work hitting the insulation.

The 2026 fire turned out to be incomparably more destructive: the main synagogue was destroyed, the central building almost completely burned out, and the damage is preliminarily estimated at millions of dollars.

What questions remain unanswered

The investigation and the complex’s management still need to establish:

• the exact technical cause of the fire;
• the final amount of material damage;
• a complete list of destroyed religious books and items;
• the condition of individual structures near the grave;
• the scope of work required for reconstruction;
• the timeline for restoring the synagogue, kitchen, and guest facilities.

NANews — Israel News will continue to monitor the situation. At the moment, the main confirmed fact is that in one of the largest fires in the complex’s history, no one died or was injured, and pilgrims and staff managed to save several Torah scrolls.

However, restoring one of Chabad’s most important centers in Ukraine will require significant international support and will likely take a considerable amount of time.