Chabad affiliated organizations and institutions number in the thousands. Chabad is a Hasidic movement, a branch of Orthodox Judaism. The organizations and institutions associated with the movement provide social, educational and religious services to Jews worldwide. Local Chabad centers and institutions are often incorporated as separate legal entities.
Chabad organizations encompass a range of different entities, including individual organizations, central and umbrella organizations, and independent organizations in the US, Israel, and around the world. Many of the central organizations in the US have parallel sister organizations in Israel, headquartered in Kfar Chabad Israel.
Chabad's central organization, representing the movement at large, Agudas Chasidei Chabad, is headed by Rabbi Avraham Shemtov. The educational and outreach arm, Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, is headed by Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky. Other central organizations include and Mahane Israel.
Agudas Chassidei Chabad (English: Association of Chabad Chassidim), also known by its initials "Aguch" is the primary umbrella organization for the worldwide Chabad-Lubavitch movement. It was founded in 1923 sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn. Aguch oversees the other Chabad central organizations, such as and Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch. The chairman of the executive committee is Rabbi Abraham Shemtov.
The organization's divisions are:
Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch – Founded in 1942 by the sixth Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, Merkos, as it is commonly known, is Chabad's primary educational arm and institution, with several divisions:
Other organizations affiliated with the movement include:
As of 2025, there are over 6,000 Chabad institutions worldwide. As of 2023, there were 5000 Chabad centers in 100 countries.
This number of Chabad institutions includes schools and other Chabad-affiliated establishments. The number of Chabad centers varies by country; the majority are located in the United States and Israel (see table). There are over 40 countries which have a small Chabad presence (not listed in the table). In total, according to its directory, Chabad maintains a presence in 950 cities around the world: 178 in Europe, 14 in Africa, 200 in Israel, 400 in North America, 38 in South America, and about 70 in Asia (excluding Israel, and Russia).
Chabad institutions are spread throughout the globe, with the largest concentration being in the United States.
There are 465 Chabad institutions in Europe. The majority are in France, Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
There are 616 Chabad institutions in Asia. The majority are in Israel.
There are 67 Chabad institutions in Oceania. The majority are in Australia.
There are 27 Chabad institutions in Africa. The majority are in South Africa.
There are 1,174 Chabad institutions in North America. The majority are in Canada and the United States.
There are 81 Chabad institutions in South America. The majority are in Brazil and Argentina.
A Chabad House is a form of Jewish community center, primarily serving both educational and observance purposes. Often, until the community can support its own center, the Chabad House is located in the shaliach's home, with the living room being used as the "synagogue." Effort is made to provide an atmosphere in which the nonobservant will not feel intimidated by any perceived contrast between their lack of knowledge of Jewish practice and the advanced knowledge of some of the people they meet there. The term "Chabad House" originated with the creation of the first such outreach center on the campus of UCLA by Rabbi Shlomo Cunin.
In the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the local Chabad House was targeted. The local Chabad emissaries, Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka, and four other Jews were brutally murdered. Chabad received condolences from around the world.