Building on the successful model of Chabad Houses worldwide, the Movement for Free Secular Israelis announced the launch of “Secular Houses,” centers for Israelis that are free of Torah and mitzvos. The first location announced was on Koh Phangan, Thailand, set to be the first branch of the initiative.

The announcement sparked considerable controversy among many Israelis, who said that the move was intended to stir tensions in the area and undermine the ongoing activities of the Chabad House, one of the most popular hubs for tens of thousands of visiting Israelis every year, and the dedicated shluchim who operate it.

“This is an attempt to harm the people who help Israelis more than anyone else,” one Israeli resident of Koh Phangan told Israeli media. “As someone who doesn’t put on tefillin, keep Shabbos, or eat kosher, I can tell you that what they do for the Israeli community here is incredible. It doesn’t matter whether you have a kippah on your head or are as far from observing mitzvos as I am.

“They were always the first to help in every crisis and every tragedy that, unfortunately, occurred over the past few years, without ever asking or demanding anything in return. They always opened their place to travelers looking for a warm home, including those who were caught in emotional turmoil after the war.”

The secular movement said that the initiative was meant to create a new framework for Israelis abroad.

“We are proud to be secular,” Chairman of the Movement for Free Secular Israelis Ilai Haskor-Handin said. “We, the Free Secular Movement, saw the successful methods used by religious Jews to spread their message, such as Chabad Houses around the world, and decided to adopt some of them while adapting them to the values of secular Judaism.

“We operate secular booths throughout the country to strengthen secular identity, lead struggles to protect the rights of secular Israelis and ensure the equitable allocation of land. The time has come for secular Israelis to assist Israelis abroad as well.”

“Chabad Houses spread across the world, reaching out to secular young Israelis with guitars and cheap food,” secular Zionist activist and politician Naor Narkis said, “and through that they promote religious outreach, belief in the ‘King Messiah’ and their vision of turning Israel into a religious state governed by Jewish law.”

“The purpose of these Chabad Houses, through sweet talk, is to shape generations of secular Israelis into becoming indifferent to attempts by Chabad-Lubavitch to take over Israel.”

“I’m so happy that a secular foothold is now being planted thousands of kilometers away from Israel in order to strengthen secular identity,” he said.

The announcement stated that the “Secular House” will offer workshops on secular Jewish philosophy, Friday night meals focused on secular identity, yoga, cooking workshops, readings from the writings of Baruch Spinoza, local Thai cuisine, community evenings, networking, dating opportunities, and a shared workspace for digital nomads.

They said that the secular Jewish community in London is also preparing to open a branch, and that the plan is to expand further and open several Secular Houses around the world, especially in areas with concentrations of Israelis who have left Israel and Israeli travelers.

Despite the campaign to undermine the shluchim’s work, Thailand shluchim responded warmly by inviting them to Chabad.

“We have seven Chabad Houses throughout Thailand, and everyone understands very well that we are here for every single person,” shliach Rabbi Nechemia Wilhelm, who runs the Chabad House of Bangkok, Thailand, said. “Our places are open to everyone, secular and religious alike. To us, it makes no difference. We do not distinguish between anyone.

“For decades, we have been operating 24/7 to help so many Israelis, and we will continue doing so with love and through the personal dedication of all of us, all the shluchim, to be there for the Jewish people wherever we are needed.”

He continued by addressing those who wished to undermine his decades of work.

“Even those who wish to provoke outside our locations are welcome to come in. We welcome everyone with love. We would be happy to speak with anyone who wants to talk, and the Chabad Houses will continue to remain open wholeheartedly for anyone who wishes to come in, regardless of their views or whether they are secular or religious.”