Missing Chabad Yeshiva Student Last Seen Near Tiberias Sparks Kidnapping Fears

Nachman Keinan, a 25-year-old Chabad yeshiva student from Beit Shemesh, has been missing for over a week after traveling north toward Safed. He was last tracked in Tiberias near the Sea of Galilee, prompting extensive police and volunteer search efforts including divers scanning the lake. Keinan left home on a Sunday evening carrying a black backpack and a brown tefillin bag, intending to meet his rabbi in Safed for urgent religious consultation. His last contact was a phone call to his father the following morning, during which he mentioned his phone battery was running low. Since then, all communication has ceased.

Police investigations include reviewing security footage that showed Keinan walking on the streets of Tiberias around 6 p.m. on Monday. Despite thorough searches in the area, no trace of him has been found. His family is deeply distressed and fears he may have been abducted by unknown hostile parties in the northern region. Volunteers from various organizations such as Yedidim, ZAKA, and Yechal have joined the search.

Keinan is described as approximately 1.74 meters tall, with black hair, brown eyes, and a beard. At the time of disappearance, he wore a black suit, white shirt, and a hat. Authorities urge anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact the Beit Shemesh police station or the national emergency number immediately. His brother Daniel expressed the family's anguish and the urgency of finding Nachman, emphasizing the lack of any leads since the last tracking data.

The ongoing investigation is coordinated by Beit Shemesh police in close cooperation with northern district forces, reflecting the serious concern over the young man's safety and the possibility of foul play.