Rabbi Zvi Kogan, a Chabad emissary in Abu Dhabi, has been missing for several days amid suspicions he was kidnapped or possibly murdered in what is feared to be a terror attack.
Kogan served as an assistant to Rabbi Levi Duchman, the UAE’s chief rabbi and head of the local Jewish community.
Rabbi Zvi Kogan at Holocaust memorial ceremony in UAE, 2021
Israeli security officials are coordinating efforts with Emirati authorities, who are leading the investigation.
Security officials told Ynet that Rabbi Kogan was last seen at the kosher supermarket he managed. "We know he was under surveillance at the supermarket. He disappeared this week, and we believe the perpetrators fled to Turkey. His body has not been found," the officials said.
Rabbi Kogan outside his kosher supermarket in Abu Dhabi
(Video: David Kepler)
The Prime Minister's Office, on behalf of Mossad, issued a statement: "Zvi Kogan, an Israeli-Moldovan citizen and Chabad emissary residing in the United Arab Emirates, has been missing since Thursday afternoon. Following his disappearance and based on information suggesting a terrorist event, an intensive investigation has been launched in the UAE.
"Israeli intelligence and security agencies are working tirelessly out of concern for his safety and well-being. It should be noted that the National Security Council previously issued a Level 3 travel warning (moderate threat) for the UAE, advising against non-essential travel and recommending heightened precautions for those currently in the country."
Kogan's family reported they had not heard from him since Wednesday. After he failed to attend scheduled meetings and could not be reached, his wife contacted the Chabad House’s security officer, who alerted local authorities. Israeli officials were subsequently notified. The disappearance occurred about an hour and a half outside Dubai.
The UAE, one of the most heavily surveilled countries in the world, with streets monitored by closed-circuit cameras, has yet to provide significant leads.
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A fellow Israeli living in Abu Dhabi who knew Kogan described him as "a kind man who was very active in the community. His family is devastated, and the Israeli and Jewish communities are in shock. Kogan was an aide to the chief rabbi of Chabad in the UAE and also founded and managed the community’s kosher supermarket."
Religious Services Minister Michael Malchieli expressed concern, saying, "We are all following this situation with great worry and pray that the collaboration between Mossad and Abu Dhabi intelligence agencies will lead to his recovery. At the same time, we support all Chabad emissaries worldwide who are doing holy work to assist Jews globally. It is imperative to enhance security around Jewish institutions and Chabad centers worldwide, especially in countries where threats are increasing."
The incident comes four years after the UAE signed the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations with Israel alongside Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
It also follows Germany's recent closure of all three Iranian consulates in response to the execution of Jamshid Sharmahd, a dual German-American citizen and opposition figure who was abducted by Iran in 2020.
Sharmahd was reportedly kidnapped while traveling through Dubai on his way to India. Emirati authorities traced his cellphone to Al Ain, near the Omani border, before signals ceased after reaching Sohar Port in Oman. Iran later announced it had captured Sharmahd in a "complex operation."
The investigation into Rabbi Kogan's disappearance continues, with both Israeli and Emirati officials treating the case as a top priority.