Chabad Youth will rebuild

Bushfire destroys Jewish camp venue

The loss of the facility comes as a significant blow to Chabad Youth's camping programme.

The Little Desert Lodge near Nihill, now completely destroyed by a bushfire. Photo: Facebook.
The Little Desert Lodge near Nihill, now completely destroyed by a bushfire. Photo: Facebook.

The Little Desert Nature Lodge near Nhill, Victoria, a popular venue for Jewish youth camps and retreats, has been completely destroyed by a bushfire that swept through the region on Monday afternoon.

The facility, owned by Chabad and situated on the edge of the Little Desert National Park, was consumed by flames just hours after the successful conclusion of a Young Jewish Professionals (YJP) retreat that had hosted nearly 100 participants aged 25-30.

“It was beautiful. I was there for the weekend,” Rabbi Moshe Kahn, Director of Chabad Youth, told the AJN.

“The camp was scheduled to end Monday after brunch, which it did, and everybody left safely. There was no bush fire anywhere near it or anything. There was not even talk about a bush fire.”

Rabbi Kahn explained that the situation deteriorated rapidly.

“Only late afternoon was there talk about a bush fire. But even then, it wasn’t a concern, because the wind was going in a different direction, and it was very far away from where we were. But things turned very quickly.”

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) ordered the evacuation of remaining staff members and animals from the property.

“Literally, an hour later an ember blowing across landed and the entire building went up in flames,” Rabbi Kahn said.

The loss of the facility, which featured 40 bedrooms, a major dining room, two conference rooms, multiple lounges and breakout rooms, a commercial kitchen, offices, and storerooms, comes as a significant blow to Chabad Youth’s camping programme.

The organisation has just completed 20 camps during the current holiday season, with over 2,000 children participating.

Around 100 members of Young Jewish Professionals had been at the venture just hours before the bushfire destroyed it. Photo: Moshe Kahn

Adding to the challenge, Rabbi Kahn revealed potential insurance complications.

“We were just told by the insurance company that if the fire was started by lightning, which apparently it was, then it’s not insured.”
The blaze was one of several fires in Victoria’s west sparked by lightning during a day of extreme fire danger, burning through 65,000 hectares of land.

Access to the property remains restricted as authorities continue to manage the fire situation.

The YJP retreat was the second-to-last camp of the season for what Rabbi Kahn described as “the largest Jewish camping network in Australasia, probably one of the largest in the world.”

Rabbi Kahn expressed gratitude that no lives were lost.

“We are relieved to confirm that all people and animals are safe. The YJP camp held at the lodge concluded as scheduled on Monday morning, with all guests departing earlier that day.”

While the immediate future of the venue remains uncertain, Rabbi Kahn’s statement affirmed their commitment to rebuilding.

“We remain committed to the spirit of the lodge and the values it represents, and we are optimistic about rebuilding a future where nature, wildlife, and community continue to thrive together.”

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