Antisemites Burnt Down a Rabbi’s Home

My father-in-law, Rabbi Yehia Lahiany, is a respected rabbi who has served the small Jewish community in Grenoble, France, a picturesque medium-sized city in the French Alps, for the past 45 years. Sent by the Lubavitcher Rebbe as Chabad emisarries in the early 1980s, he arrived to Grenoble with his wife Batsheva and newborn baby Esther with nothing but their suitcases.

The Lahiany’s acquired a home in what was then a peaceful neighborhood. They built a large and loving Jewish family, making their home a magnet for all types of Jews including locals, students, and tourists. With very little resources, they managed to establish the only Jewish school in town, a building that to this day also houses a synagogue, mikveh, and community center.

Rabbi and Rebbetzin Lahiany

They built a small but vibrant Jewish community in the French Alps, always maintaining their strong trust in God, despite difficulties and financial hardships.

A Fire of Hatred

France is no stranger to antisemitism, from the Dreyfus Affair to the deportation of French Jews during the Holocaust, up to the Toulouse school shooting of 2012 and the Hyper Kasher Supermarket attack of 2015, but Grenoble remained for the most part a relatively peaceful place for Jews – until recently.

On Shabbat morning, July 5th, 2025, while the family and community were attending a kiddush at shul, arsons set fire to the family home in broad daylight. Projectiles launched into the courtyard consumed everything, igniting gas containers (reserved for BBQs) that exploded into the two-story apartment, destroying all their material possessions and holy books.

It took over 75 firemen and policemen to put out the blazing inferno, many of whom got injured.

Destroyed apartment

Sarah Peretz, one of the daughters, said, “It was hard for me to grasp what just happened. My mother cried at first. Forty years of memories, just gone. So many mitzvahs, meals and minyanim in that house. We can’t believe it all went up in flames. It was a miracle that no one was seriously hurt.”

After fire accelerants were found in the home, the police investigation concluded that it was in fact a criminal act, but stopped short of labelling it a hate crime or act of antisemitism due to the absence of any slanderous graffiti. Nonetheless, there isn’t a single person in the neighborhood who doesn’t know that the apartment is the home of a visibly Jewish rabbi.

Debora Labkowski, another daughter who was visiting from Florida, said, “They want to drive us out, but I’m not going to give them this pleasure. I’m going to go out and say that I’m proud to be a Jew!”

A Story of Gratitude, Protection, and an Extraordinary Chain of Events

About 18 months before the tragic fire, my brother-in-law Yossi experienced a deeply emotional event. His newborn daughter fell gravely ill with a severe respiratory infection just weeks after her birth. Her condition was life-threatening, and she remained in the hospital for several months. Miraculously, she recovered during the Jewish holiday of Passover in 2024.

Outside of the apartment building

In response to what he saw as a divine miracle, Yossi chose to express his gratitude in a traditional way by organizing a large communal celebration known as a Seudat Hoda’ah—a thanksgiving meal offered in appreciation for surviving a life-threatening event. He hosted the event on Lag BaOmer, a festive day in the Jewish calendar, in May 2024. As part of the celebration, he also held a raffle, with the grand prize being a plane ticket to New York. In an unexpected twist, the winner turned out to be his own young son, Aharon.

Though they won the ticket in 2024, Yossi chose to wait a year before using it. In May 2025, just before Lag BaOmer, he traveled to New York with Aharon, joined by his brother Mendy and Mendy’s son, Yankel.

On Lag BaOmer, while driving on the highway, the car carrying Yossi, Mendy, and their sons was hit by another speeding vehicle. The impact could have caused devastating injuries, but astonishingly, everyone emerged completely unharmed. Mendy quietly resolved to one day hold his own thanksgiving meal for this second miraculous escape.

Although Mendy lives in Paris, he chose to host the meal at his parents' home in Grenoble, France. The date was set for July 5, 2025, about seven weeks later.

A Mother's Intuition and a Life-Altering Decision

In the days leading up to the event, Mendy’s mother—Rebbetzin Lahiany—was overcome by an inexplicable sense of dread. She had unsettling dreams and was filled with anxiety. Guided by her deep belief in the Jewish teaching that “charity saves from death” (Proverbs 10:2), she immediately gave to charity, hoping it would protect her family from whatever she feared.

The guest list for the thanksgiving meal had grown to about 30 people, mostly children and grandchildren. Though others wanted to join, the family home was too small to accommodate everyone. So they decided to move the celebration to the local Chabad Center, transforming it from a private family gathering into a public community event.

On Saturday morning, July 5, the day of the celebration, Rebbetzin Lahiany awoke with that same heavy feeling. Driven by intuition, she insisted—repeatedly—that every single family member attend the event at the synagogue. Despite the usual resistance from tired children and adults hoping to rest, she was adamant. By 12:30 PM, the last of the family had left the house.

Exactly 12 minutes later, according to an eyewitness, the house was firebombed by three assailants. The attack targeted the dining room area—precisely where the meal would have been held had the original plan not changed. Had the family remained in the house, the outcome would likely have been catastrophic, with tragic loss of life.

In an incredible twist of fate, a thanksgiving meal in 2024 sparked a second meal of gratitude in 2025, which ultimately saved the entire Lahiany family from what could have been a deadly attack. While the family lost their home and possessions, their lives were spared.

Publicizing the Miracle

“God performed a huge miracle that no one was harmed. Everyone is alive and accounted for. No one was hurt or injured!” emphasized Peretz.

The Talmud encourages us to publicize a miracle as a way of showing gratitude for divine protection. Following the firebomb attack that nearly claimed their lives, the Lahiany family has taken this principle to heart. They’ve launched a campaign to share their story with the world—not just to recount the tragedy, but also to highlight the miracle that spared them.

A Call for Unity and Support

Since the story has spread across Jewish communities worldwide, the Lahiany family has been overwhelmed by an outpouring of love, kindness, and solidarity. Friends, relatives, and strangers from across France, Israel, and North America have reached out with support, while members of the local Jewish community have generously provided clothing and essential supplies.

Still, challenges remain. The couple—now in their 70s—lost their lifelong home and have been living in a small apartment belonging to one of their daughters. Though the city has attempted to offer housing, the only proposed option was a run-down apartment in a high-crime neighborhood, which the family found unacceptable and unsafe.

While they did hold basic home insurance, the payout is insufficient to cover the cost of a new residence. In response, the family has launched a fundraising campaign to help them secure a suitable home and begin the long process of recovery.

For decades, the Lahiany family has opened their home to guests from all backgrounds and devoted themselves to the spiritual and material well-being of others. Now, for the first time, they are the ones in need—and it’s our turn to give back.

To help the Lahiany family rebuild their home and their lives, please click here:
Help Rebuild the Home of Chabad of Grenoble – Victim of Terror Attack