As Israel faces the massive task of rebuilding thousands of homes damaged in recent Iranian missile strikes, help may come from an unexpected direction—China. Specifically, it is coming from the Jewish community in Foshan, a major industrial hub in Guangdong Province.
Chabad emissary and chief rabbi of Foshan, Rabbi Gadi Luzon, issued a letter this week to Eran Siv, chairman of Israel’s Renovation Contractors Union, offering aid through the city’s vast building materials and construction services sector. The letter, obtained by Ynet, expressed support for Israel’s national restoration campaign, "Renovating in Unity."
Earlier this week, Israel’s Housing and Construction Ministry, along with the Israeli Builders Association, launched a joint initiative to restore large housing complexes damaged in the attacks.
Industry estimates suggest over 30,000 apartments were affected. While large-scale reconstruction is not a core part of most renovation firms’ operations, the emergency prompted expanded cooperation with government authorities.
In his letter, Rabbi Luzon highlighted Foshan’s status as one of the world’s leading centers for advanced construction manufacturing and supply. “Foshan is a global hub for the production and supply of building materials and construction services,” he wrote. “Given the situation in Israel and our desire to help the people of Israel, we wish to assist with all matters related to sourcing materials for reconstruction.”
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The offer includes help with procurement, manufacturing, transport and import of a wide range of materials, such as aluminum products, glass (including custom windows and shutters), carpentry, doors, interior and exterior cladding, tiling, piping for water and electricity infrastructure, sanitary equipment, kitchen fixtures and furniture.
Eran SivPhoto: Igal AmarAmid a severe labor shortage in Israel’s construction and renovation sectors, the letter also mentioned access to skilled labor. “We have long-standing relationships with major manpower corporations in China, who have already expressed willingness to recruit and vet professional workers across all construction trades and scales,” Luzon wrote.
He added that several construction companies in China are ready to send professional crews to Israel, manage project teams and train additional foreign workers. “We’ve discussed this in the past with Israeli government officials and perhaps now—facing the challenges of reconstruction—there’s an opportunity to renew that cooperation,” he added.