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Historical agreement with the United Arab Emirates
After normalization of relations: First conversation between Sarah and the Jewish community in the United Arab Emirates
Diaspora Minister Yankelevich spoke in a video with members of the community, who until a year and a half ago lived in a low profile and without official recognition from the authorities. The community numbers about 1,500 people, most of whom live in Dubai. The minister told community members that her ministry was interested in assisting them in the field of Jewish education
Tags- United Arab Emirates
- Ministry of Diaspora
- The jewish community
Lightning Ravid
Friday, 14 August 2020, 17:42The first public video call took place today (Friday) between an official representative of the Israeli government and members of the Jewish community in the United Arab Emirates - less than a day after the announcement of the normalization agreement and the establishment of relations between the two countries. Diaspora Minister Omar Yankelevich spoke to members of the community, who until a year and a half ago lived in the country on a low profile without official recognition from the authorities.
The Jewish community in the UAE numbers about 1,500 people - most of them living in the Principality of Dubai. A small number of members of the Jewish community have been in the country since gaining independence in 1971, but most are foreign nationals who immigrated to the UAE over the years and settled there.
In February 2019, as part of the Year of Religious Tolerance declared by the United Arab Emirates Government, the Jewish community received official recognition from the state. This allowed members of the community who lived a very low-profile Jewish lifestyle to be exposed, to receive government assistance and even to establish an official and open synagogue.
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Due to political sensitivity, there has been no open and public contact between the Israeli government and the Jewish community in the United Arab Emirates to date. However the Jewish community in the UAE has won much support from communities and Jewish leaders in the US as Rabbi Marc Snaiir New York.
Yesterday after the announcement of the agreement, the Minister Yankelevich President community Solly Wolf and the community's rabbi Levi Docmn and talked with them. Following the discussion held today a meeting Zoom broad forum More than a few dozen members of the community.
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Yankelevich told community members during the zoom call that her office is interested in assisting them in the field of Jewish education. Community leaders expressed hope in the zoom call that Yankelevich could pay a visit to the UAE in the coming months to get to know the community up close.
