After lighting the menorah last year in the tallest tower in the world, the Burj Khalifa of Dubai, tonight (Sunday) a rabbi of the United Arab Emirates, Rabbi Levi Duchman, lit the menorah that adorns the Israeli pavilion at the Dubai EXPO, the largest exhibition in the world, to which More than 2 million people have come so far.
The first Hanukkah candle was also lit this evening in Bahrain's pavilion by former Bahrain Ambassador to the United States, Huda Nono, senior member of the Jewish community in Bahrain and the Gulf states. Another moving picture of a menorah came from Kuwait.
Lighting of the festive menorah in Dubai, Photo: Courtesy of the Jewish community in the UAE Jewish emirates
The candle lighting in Dubai, which took place thanks to the JNF's activity in the Emirates, was honored by the Israeli Consul in Dubai, Ilan Stolman and the Israeli Pavilion Commissioner at Expo Elazar Cohen. Rabbi Duchman lit the large menorah that was placed on the site and greeted the candles, accompanied by a Hanukkah performance by the children of the Jewish community in the country and the participation of the children of the Hebrew school established by the community in the country.
The matter is particularly exciting due to the fact that until two years ago, when the Avraham agreements were signed, no one could have imagined that Jews could freely light Hanukkah candles and allow the matter to be published in an Israeli newspaper.
Although these are mainly American Jews stationed in the Gulf states by virtue of their official position, they are still a historic event of great significance.
Menorah in Kuwait, 2021, Photo: Courtesy of the Organization of Jewish Communities in the Gulf
Today, thousands of Jews live in the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf states. None of them are locals and most of them are Americans and Israelis who came there as part of their work, with hundreds of those Jewish businessmen working in the oil business in the country. There are even three synagogues in Dubai - Ashkenazi, Sephardi and Reform.
The old Ashkenazi synagogue, called the "Villa," opened about a decade ago inside the private home of a lawyer from South Africa.
It was kept in a low profile, and people learned about the location of the synagogue only by word of mouth.
The Sephardic synagogue is housed in the private home of Chabad rabbi Levi Duchman, who came to Dubai from Morocco about seven years ago. Sadiat in Abu Dhabi A magnificent synagogue will be built on the "Brotherhood of Abraham" campus. A Muslim mosque, a Jewish synagogue and a Christian church will be built side by side in the compound. .
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