Rabbi Zvi Kogan, 28, HY”D

By COLlive reporter

The body of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, one of the Chabad Shluchim in the United Arab Emirates who was missing for 4 days, was located on Sunday, local authorities reported.

He was 28.

Rabbi Kogan was born on the 26th of Menachem Av 5756 (1996) to his parents, Rabbi Alexander and Etel Kogan, a Litvish haredi family living in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood in Jerusalem.

In his youth, he learned in the Yeshivas Maoz Chayil in Jerusalem, Rabeinu Chaim Ozer in Bnei Brak, and Mir in Jerusalem. He then served in the Givati Brigade operational military unit of the Israel Defense Forces.

Zvi became close to Chabad and began following the ways of Chassidus. They both moved to the Emirates to assist Rabbi Levi Duchman, Rabbi of the United Arab Emirates, in expanding Jewish life in the Emirates.

Ever since the signing of the Abraham Accords peace deal with Israel, the Emirates has seen its Jewish population grow exponentially. There have been shuls opened, the first Jewish education center in the Gulf, and a wide selection of kosher food.

In March 2022, he got married to Rivky Spielman, a Lubavitcher from Crown Heights who is the niece of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, the Chabad Shliach who was killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Rabbi and Mrs. Kogan soon moved on Shlichus and lived in Abu Dhabi. She taught in the school while he operated the Rimon Kosher supermarket in Dubai, the city that drew most of the tourists and visitors.

“He was a cheerful person who never said ‘no’ to anyone, always helping and assisting everyone,” a friend of his said. “Every person would leave him feeling sorted; he always knew how to guide and assist. He was a modest individual who honored his parents in a remarkable way, a truly G-d-fearing person who consistently remained humble. His trait of gratitude was well-known and admired.”

This past Thursday, Rabbi Kogan went missing in the middle of the day. His vehicle was found abandoned in Al Ain, around 93 miles from Abu Dhabi.

Walla news site, citing security sources, reported that Israel has information that Rabbi Kogan was being followed by Iranian intelligence.

Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office and the Foreign Affairs Ministry stated: “The Israeli mission in Abu Dhabi has been in contact with the family since the beginning of the incident and continues to support them during this difficult time,” the announcement declared. “His family in Israel has also been informed.”

They added, “The murder of the late Zvi Kogan is a criminal antisemitic terrorist attack. The State of Israel will act by all means and bring the criminals responsible for his death to justice.”

Since the murder, Israel’s National Security Council has called on citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the United Arab Emirates. The travel warning for the country remains at Level 3 (medium threat) and was not changed following the murder. However, there is still concern that Israelis and Jews in the Emirates may be under threat, N12 reported.

Rabbi Kogan is survived by his wife Rivky, his parents Rabbi Alexander and Etel Kogan of Jerusalem, siblings, and in-laws R’ Shmuel and Devorah Spielman of Crown Heights.

The funeral is expected to be in Israel.

Hashem Yikom Damo.

VIDEO:

لحظة إعلان اغتيال حاخام صهيوني تسفي كوغان في الإمارات على القناة 14 التابعة لهذا النظام
רגע ההכרזה על רצח הרב צבי קוגן ציוני באיחוד האמירויות בערוץ 14 של המשטר הזה pic.twitter.com/AVizAsjsHm

— 🇵🇸🇱🇧 همنورا I המנורה (@hammenorah) November 24, 2024