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We do not have access to your donations. Donations go to Change.org, not to the petition makers. You are NOT required to donate in order to sign and support. Thank you.

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A Chabad House, of the Chabad religious movement, is planned to be built in General Luna, Siargao, Surigao Del Norte, Philippines. This is an expansion of the existing Chabad movement in Siargao: https://siargao-chabad.ph/en/

While we support inclusivity in Siargao Island and recognize the freedom and legality of religious practice, we strongly oppose a Chabad House for the following reasons: 

1. Zoning and High Risk of Continued Expansion
2. Absence of Community Approval and the Risk of Cultural Erosion
3. Safety and Security: Rampant Misconduct by Israeli Tourists
4. Racial Superiority, Religious Elitism, Division: The Alienation of Local Businesses and Various Filipino Communities
5. Solidarity With The Oppressed and Allegiance To Philippine History

Our reasons are explained in detail below.

Sign this petition to amplify the voice of the local Siargao community and to help us secure proper stakeholder engagement and consultation with Local Government Units.

1. ZONING AND HIGH RISK OF CONTINUED EXPANSION

Chabad Houses in other countries have faced litigation cases due to zoning issues on residential properties — noise, waste mismanagement, crowding, and disturbance. (https://www.academia.edu/resource/work/66882240

The rented 'Israeli house' in Purok 1 General Luna has had complaints from neighbors, and Sta Fe residents are equally concerned of the disturbance a foreign religious congregation would bring, if a formal Chabad House were to be established.

An article titled 'Jews of Siargao Island' by journalist David Haldane quotes: "To be sure, Siargao’s Chabad House is only one of six in the Philippines, with others in Manila, Clark, Cebu, Boracay, and El Nido. Lately, though, its leader says, Siargao has drawn the largest crowds by far, more than twice the number of its nearest competitor. 'And they just keep coming,' he says." (https://davidshaldane.com/the-jews-of-siargao-island/)

Allowing a foreign stronghold that has the history and mentality of expanding influence is not something we take lightly.

2. ABSENCE OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL AND THE RISK OF CULTURAL EROSION

There was no proper consultation or notification provided to local residents. The lack of transparency and disregard for community input undermines the rights of residents to be informed and engaged in developments that directly affect our neighborhoods.

This petition reflects the collective concern of the community and must be recognized as a clear deterrent to the continuation of this project.

3. SAFETY & SECURITY: RAMPANT MISCONDUCT BY ISRAELI TOURISTS

Reported and documented incidents of misconduct by Israeli tourists have been consistent. In the history of Siargao, no single group or nationality has caused such an alarm and a long list of collective complaints, until now. 

An excerpt from the Haldane article 'The Jews of Siargao Island' quotes Elazar Moshe, 24, a former fighter for the Israel Defense Forces who’d been on the island a week: “We come for fun, quiet, and rest, especially after the war.”

Israeli tourists having served military service pose a high probability of war-related PTSD, causing unstable behaviors in a peaceful island. This is not our speculation. This was reported by idfclub.org itself. (https://idfclub.org/ptsd-symptoms-tripled-among-israeli-soldiers-since-hamas-war-study-finds/)

The establishment of Chabad House/Israeli Cultural Center will inevitably invite more IDF soldiers to Siargao, bringing with them various war-related traumas. These soldiers must be treated by professionals through psychiatric sessions, not 'fun' by alcohol consumption, which tends to happen as a leisurely tourist activity here in Siargao.

4. RACIAL SUPERIORITY, RELIGIOUS ELITISM, DIVISION: THE ALIENATION OF LOCAL BUSINESSES AND VARIOUS FILIPINO COMMUNITIES

From a cultural and ethnical perspective: Muslims represent almost 6 million or 25% of the 24 million people in the Mindanao region. (https://rsso11.psa.gov.ph/content/factsheet-islam-mindanao)

The historical and ongoing conflict between Israelis and their Muslim neighbors in the Middle East is a warning we can not and must not ignore.

There are already threats from both Filipino Muslims and Israelis on social media. Allowing the construction of a Chabad House could escalate tensions in the region, causing unease for the residents and locals who have long been living here before the influx of Israelis.

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From a theological perspective: Chabad Houses are religious centers, and all religions bring with them distorted beliefs that can be further taken out of context and acted upon in the name of service and faith, without forethought about community, harmony, belonging, and/or consideration to cultural heritage.

The Spaniards brutalized the ways of life of our ancestors through their mission of spreading Christianity. A Chabad House in Siargao feels eerily similar.

“U’faratzta,” Lubavitchers declare in their well-known motto, a Hebrew phrase meaning “You shall spread out.” (The Jews of Siargao Island) 

Although Chabad says it does not promote conversion to Judaism, it does promote conversion to Noahidism - a Jewish religious movement aimed at non-Jews, with laws preached by the Chabad movement.

The occupation and oppression of Palestine, rooted in both history and religion, is a cautionary tale for what is possible in Siargao and beyond.

Records and footages from our ASEAN neighbors reflect the same Israeli attitudes and behaviors of superiority, entitlement, and blatant disregard to their hosts - the people who welcome them as visitors.

5. SOLIDARITY WITH THE OPPRESSED AND ALLEGIANCE TO PHILIPPINE HISTORY

We stand in solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine. Having been through our own string of violent occupation and systematic oppression — 333 years under Spain, 48 years under the USA, and 3 years under Japan, we refuse to live side by side with any oppressors, especially those who support war criminals wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Criminal_Court_arrest_warrants_for_Israeli_leaders)

Despite the reinforced efforts of the LGU and the General Luna MPS, we strongly oppose the construction of an Israeli Cultural Center and/or Chabad House on Siargao Island.

Chabad.org boasts that a new Chabad House is opened every 10 days on average globally. If we allow one, we allow a hundred.

We, the natives of Siargao and other Philippine islands, are against the approval and issuance of a Barangay Resolution and all other prerequisites to acquiring a building permit - and any other permits - for any Chabad Houses or establishments of similar nature.

We are the custodians of these lands and these waters. These are our voices.

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! ! ! - IMPORTANT - ! ! !

We do not have access to your donations. Donations go to Change.org, not to the petition makers. You are NOT required to donate in order to sign and support. Thank you.