The New York Jewish Travel Guide had the privilege of interviewing Rabbi Mendi Sudakevich, the leader of Chabad Lubavitch of Japan in Tokyo, to gain insights into Jewish life and communities in Japan. Here is an edited version of the interview for clarity:

Rabbi Sudakevich, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Could you please tell us a bit about yourself? What led you to Japan, and how long have you been here?

Certainly. I’m Rabbi Mendi Sudakevich, originally from Israel. My journey to Japan began during my rabbinical studies in New York back in 1997. At that time, there was a sizable Israeli population working in Japan, and someone reached out to Chabad in New York expressing concern that many Israelis in Japan had no suitable place to observe the Passover Seder. In response, Chabad sent two students from Australia to host the Seder, expecting around 20 to 30 participants.

To their astonishment, several hundred people attended, far exceeding their supply of matzah, which was only enough for a fraction of the guests. Faced with this unexpected turnout, they contacted me and asked if I could come to Japan to help with the Passover Seder. Without hesitation, I booked a ticket to Tokyo.

The inaugural Passover Seder in Japan drew over 500 participants. However, the following day, we struggled to assemble a minyan, and I found this stark contrast puzzling. How could we have had over 500 attendees one night and none the next day? This mystery led me to delve deeper into the Jewish community in Japan. I discovered that one member of the community had a son approaching his bar mitzvah, prompting me to start teaching bar mitzvah lessons. This endeavor eventually immersed me deeply in the Jewish community in Japan. Three years later, after my marriage, Chabad officially established the Chabad house in Japan.

In the beginning, did you encounter challenges adapting to life in Japan?

Adapting to life in Japan has been, and continues to be, an ongoing challenge. Living in Japan necessitates a genuine appreciation and embrace of its distinct way of life. Otherwise, it can prove quite demanding, as Japan operates differently from the Western world in various aspects: its customs, thought processes and overall approach to life. This challenge remains a constant in our lives. However, on the positive side, Japan is renowned for its exceptional organization and meticulous planning. When you reach an agreement with someone here, you can be confident that it will be executed precisely as discussed. The difficulty lies in reaching that initial agreement. Once achieved, you can trust that the Japanese will carry it out better than most.

I recall a conversation with the CEO of one of Israel’s largest companies, who mentioned that their office in Japan consistently operated at a financial loss. Naturally, I asked him why they kept it open. He explained that the most valuable feedback they received on their products came from their Japanese office. If a Japanese customer purchased their product and found it satisfactory, it was a testament to its quality. Conversely, if there were issues, the Japanese customer would provide precise and detailed feedback like no one else. Selling in the Japanese market, he emphasized, was the world’s premier investment in research and development. It offered immediate and authentic feedback, making Japanese evaluations highly valuable.

Can you provide insights into Jewish life and the dynamics within the Tokyo community? How would you describe the composition of this community, considering the presence of individuals from Israel, the United States and possibly France?

Jewish life in Tokyo is characterized by its transient nature. Few people arrive here with the intention of establishing permanent residency. If you’re not Japanese, you often have the sense that your time here is limited. Most individuals come to Tokyo for various reasons, such as work opportunities, a fascination with Japanese culture, a desire to learn the language, or simply to explore Japan more deeply. Typically, they stay for a period of three to five years, which aligns with the average tenure of expatriates in Japan. There is also a smaller group of expats who may spend 20 or 30 years in Japan before eventually returning to their home countries.

Our community is incredibly diverse. Approximately 30% of our community members are Israelis, another 40% are Americans, and the remaining portion comprises individuals from a wide range of nationalities, including France and Australia. It truly is a melting pot of cultures and backgrounds.

Characterizing our community as “stable” is somewhat challenging due to its
ever-changing nature. For instance, during the past summer, two families bid farewell, and each summer witnessed a continuous influx of newcomers and departures. Fortunately, we now consistently have a minyan for Shabbat services thanks to a growing number of permanent residents. Even in weeks when we don’t host any visitors, we can still assemble a minyan. However, I cannot recall a week when we didn’t receive any visitors. Some weeks may bring around 10 visitors, while in others, we might have the pleasure of hosting hundreds. As I mentioned earlier, numerous Israeli companies have established a presence in Japan, with approximately 30 companies currently operating here.

I’ve heard that maintaining a kosher diet in Japan can be quite challenging. How difficult is it to obtain permits for importing kosher food or organic materials into the country?

Indeed, adhering to a kosher diet in Japan presents its own unique set of challenges, much like many other aspects of life here. Japan, as an island nation, maintains a somewhat insular culture, which can complicate the process of importing food. We have been importing chicken and meat for some time, and we conduct shechita in Japan, primarily for chicken and occasionally for a few cows. However, navigating the import process remains a constant struggle.

Even a minor issue in the U.S., for instance, can lead to a temporary import ban, even if our shipment is already en route. This year, we imported around nine tons of chicken. To illustrate the challenges, at one point we had five tons of chicken shipments at a U.S. port, and someone had forgotten to stamp the documents. It took us two months to resolve the issue and allow the shipment to enter Japan, which also incurred a $500 storage fee for two months in a specialized freezer at the port.

We have also made progress in the dairy department. We have a shochet working alongside a rabbi in Kyoto, where we perform shechita. Recently, we visited several cheese companies, and soon we will have access to kosher cheese and milk that is Cholav Yisrael and made right here in Japan.

Our Chabad presence has expanded to Takayama, nestled in the Japanese Alps in Gifu Prefecture. We’ve built strong relationships in this area, and we were invited to establish a Chabad center in Takayama. The town has become a significant destination for Jewish travelers, largely due to Chiune Sugihara. During a meeting, we were asked how we could further enhance the experience of Jewish travelers in Japan, and I mentioned the need for kosher cheese and milk. They reached out to various cheese companies in Takayama, and a few expressed interest in participating. As a result, we now have a Chabad rabbi in Takayama addressing these dietary needs.

So, it’s wonderful to hear that visitors can enjoy kosher dining options at the Chabad House in Takayama.

Absolutely. Visitors can now savor kosher meals at the Chabad House in Takayama, and they can also partake in Shabbat dinners and attend synagogue services there. Interestingly, Takayama boasts several kosher sake options, with over 30 kosher sake companies now operating in Japan.

Here’s a little secret: Natural sake in its original form is kosher. The fundamental combination of rice and water is what makes sake, so in its purest state, sake is inherently kosher. It only becomes non-kosher when other ingredients are introduced. If you visit a company that adheres to the traditional, authentic sake-making process with pure ingredients, the sake they produce is kosher. It merely requires someone to verify, confirm and provide certification. As you can see, producing kosher sake is not overly complex. Sake has been crafted in this manner for centuries, and if you maintain that traditional approach, there are no issues from a kosher perspective.

How do you celebrate Passover in Japan? How many people typically attend your Passover Seders and is the Seder conducted in Hebrew or English?

Passover in Japan is a special occasion for our community. Given our diverse makeup, which includes locals, tourists and Israeli travelers, we conduct three separate Seders. The first Seder is for our residents and is held in a beautiful venue. It is conducted in English and typically draws around 300 attendees. The second Seder is designed for tourists and accommodates approximately 100 people. The third Seder is specifically for the approximately 150 young Israelis visiting Japan, and it’s offered free of charge, welcoming everyone to participate. We hold two Seder nights, but for the first one, we must utilize three different locations because securing a suitable hall for the entire group can be prohibitively expensive in Japan.

How do your children experience Hebrew school and do you offer a nursery school program?

Our approach to children’s programs and schools in Japan is adaptable and dependent on the evolving dynamics of our community. Some years, we have a kindergarten program, while other years we do not. Currently, we do not have a kindergarten program, with the last one having been in operation about five years ago. The decision to establish a kindergarten program is typically based on the number of children in the community. When we see that there are enough children to support such a program, we initiate one.

However, we maintain an active Sunday school program that serves more than 30 children. In the past three years, we’ve been fortunate to have teachers from Israel and France come to Japan to instruct in our Hebrew school.

As for my own children, living in Japan presents unique challenges for them. They often observe stark differences between life here and in Israel or New York, where access to abundant kosher food, a wide circle of friends, and various amenities is the norm. In Japan, their experiences differ significantly. They spend a substantial amount of time indoors, studying online, with a limited circle of friends, primarily those they encounter in Sunday school, and even those interactions are somewhat infrequent. Their primary mode of education is through online schooling. Additionally, our extended family, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, resides in Israel and other foreign locations. This can be quite challenging for them.

If you’re planning a trip to Japan or would like to reserve a seat at one of Chabad Lubavitch’s Passover Seders in Tokyo, contact them via email at rabbi@chabad.jp or visit their website at www.chabad.jp.

This article was authored by Meyer Harroch for the New York Jewish Travel Guide and the New York Jewish Guide. The author’s participation in a press trip was made possible through sponsorship by the prefectures of Fukushima, Tochigi and Ibaraki, along with the Japan Travel Bureau (JTB).