Since the horrible murder of Chabad Rabbi Zvi Kogan in Dubai last week, the fledgling Jewish community of the United Arab Emirates has been thrust into the limelight. Many wish to know more about this unlikely chapter of Jewish life. In fact, since its establishment in 1971, shortly after British withdrawal, the UAE has had a small Jewish presence. Jewish life began to bloom with the informal arrival of Chabad in the UAE, more than a decade before the Abraham Accords were signed, and has only grown since.
Today, the UAE is home to a thriving Jewish community, featuring Chabad-sponsored synagogues, summer camps, abundant opportunities for Jewish education, and kosher restaurants. Read on for 10 fascinating facts about Jews in the UAE.
1. It All Began With a Yom Kippur Service
Chabad rabbinical students visited the UAE in 2010 to conduct the first-ever Yom Kippur services in the Arab state. Subsequently, groups of rabbinical students arrived to conduct services for every major Jewish holiday. In 2014, Rabbi Levi Duchman visited several times before moving there permanently to become the country's first resident rabbi.
Read: Chabad-Lubavitch Announces Emissary to the United Arab Emirates
2. The Abraham Accords Significantly Enhanced Jewish Life
The Abraham Accords, announced in August 2020 and signed on September 15 of that year, normalized relations between Israel and the UAE. This has led to an explosion of trade and cooperation between the two countries and an influx of Israeli tourists to the UAE. Chabad of the Emirates, led by Rabbi Levi Duchman, has risen to the challenge and provides a full plethora of Jewish services to visitors and residents.
3. The Rabbi’s Wedding Made History
The 2022 wedding of Chabad of UAE’s Rabbi Levi Duchman to Lea Hadad was a landmark event for the Jewish community of the UAE. Over 1,500 guests from the local community and from around the world attended the event, which was held in the Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island hotel. Catering was provided by the hotel’s chefs and certified kosher by Emirates Agency for Kosher Certification, which the groom founded.
Read: Abu Dhabi Rabbinic Wedding Landmark Event for Jewish Life in Arab World
4. It Has Its Own Kashrut Agency and Kosher Grocery
Starting with kosher slaughter, which Rabbi Duchman arranged in 2017, the UAE now has its own kashrut agency. The Emirates Agency for Kosher Certification (EAKC) works with international kosher supervision agencies and supervises a number of kosher restaurants in the UAE. Additionally, in 2022 Chabad opened Rimon Market, the first kosher grocery store in the Gulf. The store was managed by Rabbi Zvi Kogan, who was tragically abducted and murdered by terrorists.
Read: Chabad Rabbi Zvi Kogan, 28, Murdered by Terrorists in the UAE
5. Purpose-Built Center Named “Beit Zvi” Planned
Speaking at the funeral of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, Rabbi Duchman announced plans to build a magnificent new center for Jewish life in the UAE, to be named “Beit Zvi” in Kogan’s memory. It will be “a house, a center, where people will come together reflecting [Rabbi Kogan’s] warmth,” he said. Within minutes of the announcement, Jared Kushner, a former senior advisor to the president of the United States who was instrumental in formulating the historic Abraham Accords, announced that he would donate $1 million towards the project. Kushner pledged to “redouble our efforts to work with the Jewish community and the country’s leadership to build a resilient, vibrant Jewish community in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. We welcome others to join us in this effort.” Shortly after his post, he was taken up on it by his brother, Joshua Kushner, who promised to match the donation with another $1 million.
Read: Funeral of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, 28, Takes Place in Torrential Downpour
6. A Custom-Printed Tanya Is in the Mohammed bin Rashid Library
Shortly after the grand Mohammed bin Rashid Library opened its doors in Dubai in 2022, the Jewish community donated a custom-printed Tanya—the seminal work of Chabad Chassidism, written by the founder of Chabad, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi—for its massive collection. The state-of-the-art library is an architectural marvel and holds more than 1.5 million printed books.
Read: Custom-Printed Tanya Gifted to Dubai’s Stunning New Library
7. A Crown Prince and Russia’s Chief Rabbi Rescued a Jewish Couple
In 2020, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, joined with Rabbi Berel Lazar, Chief Rabbi of Russia, to rescue an elderly Jewish couple trapped in Yemen. As the country's civil war intensified, Rabbi Lazar was contacted and subsequently reached out to the Crown Prince. Authorities in Abu Dhabi were instrumental in the rescue and even granted the couple citizenship.
Read: Emirate Prince and Russia’s Chief Rabbi Bring a Yemenite Couple to Safety
8. The Burj Khalifa Hosts a Menorah
Standing at just over half a mile high, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. For the last few years, this distinct tourist hotspot has boasted its own menorah, standing at a comparatively modest 12 ft tall, for the 8 nights of Hanukkah.
Read: Chanukah Lights Brighten Arabian Nights in the United Arab Emirates
9. Israeli Prime Minister Began Writing of Torah Scroll
In December 2021, then-Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made an official trip to the UAE, the first of its kind. Although the focus of the trip may have been on his discussions with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Bennet made sure to visit with the local Jewish community. He joined a letter-writing ceremony at the Emirates Palace, a luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi, and inscribed the very first letter in a new scroll that will serve the local community.
Read: First Letter of UAE Torah Scroll Inked by Israeli Prime Minister Bennett
10. They Will Continue to Thrive
This has been a difficult year for the Jewish community of the UAE with Israeli tourism having dropped off precipitously since the October 7 attacks and the ensuing war with Hamas. With Rabbi Kogan’s murder, some would question the wisdom of deepening roots there. Yet, as Rabbi Duchman vowed at the funeral, he and his fellow emissaries will continue to plant seeds, build bridges and create infrastructure, picking up where Rabbi Kogan left off.
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