"Come back after me," Hamed, the Emir's son-in-law's rabbi, addresses the excited groom: "If I forget you, Abu Dhabi will forget my days" - and the young couple enter a new era in their lives.
This amusing sketch excerpt from the TV show "This is It" (here) has been the reality of the lives of dozens of couples in the past year, although in real life the rabbi is Jewish, of course, and the weddings are in Dubai.
And yet, the fact that many Israelis chose last year to hold their wedding in Dubai, the ceremony of entering into the marriage covenant, was seen as a very natural move, as if they could always do so.
Although the trend was born due to the lack of corona guidelines in Israel, which at that time allowed only limited weddings (and trans-Atlantic weddings, where the bride and groom stayed in different places and met in Dubai).
Still, the choice to hold the important ceremony in life in a Muslim-Arab state openly is not a trivial matter.
A three-hour flight from Israel, many dozens of couples, mostly ultra-Orthodox who choose high education - as well as mixed families, have a 'stricter' side and a slightly lesser side - while the issue of maintaining modesty for families, especially in a desert country. Taken into account and calculated accurately.
Kosher supervisor at the Armenian Luxury Hotel, Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai // Photo: Getty Images,
"There are no corners in the laws," sources in the field point out, "you need to know what is allowed and what is not, and work on the necessary adjustments."
According to them, the average cost of a wedding in the Emirates is higher than in Israel, and today, after the initial difficulties, the local infrastructure is ready for Jewish ceremonies - even though the number of weddings has dropped significantly.
With real intent
Schneur Fleischman of Fleischmann Peles Productions, which owns a local office in Dubai, says that we went through a long and complex process with the locals due to the much bureaucracy in Dubai, although from the beginning we saw that they came with real intent to see how we could be helped.
The point is to internalize them in relation to the elements of a Jewish wedding, such as the need for a local license for kosher wine.
A lengthy and complex process.
Shneur Fleischman // Photo: Yehezkel Itkin,
"Or, for example, there was an incident where we had to work hard to free 300kg of meat from customs warehouses, and we got looks like we fell from the moon ... but the incident took place properly the next day," he smiles. , In the end the hotel decided to enlarge its head and set aside an entire warehouse for kosher utensils - including a kosher kitchen that a local did not enter without a local kosher certificate, as well as utensils signed by a kosher supervisor, and some hotels have already adopted it.
"Today we know how to move kosher food in Dubai to the level of challah of Viznitz from Bnei Brak, including an Israeli chef for Saturdays. If there is a fifth wave, there is no fear - we already know how to make kosher weddings in Dubai, with all the products. , Which is a sought-after commodity for canopies, "concludes Fleischman with a smile.
Celebrating First Seder Night in Dubai, 2021 // Photo: Getty Images,
"The Great Vision of Muhammad bin Zayed"
Rabbi Levi Duchman, a Chabad emissary in Dubai, sees the broader context of having weddings in the Persian Gulf.
Build cohesive communities and realize coexistence and tolerance.
It's an act of truth. "For the sake of illustration, he says:" When someone is in the woods and cold, he can use a coat for him - or light a fire that will be used for others as well.
And this is exactly the goal here - to help others - and therefore it is gaining momentum in other countries (beyond the EU countries - dl).
Rabbi Duchman and CEO of Abu Dhabi Tourism // Photo: AFOCH,
"Now it is natural to see Israelis doing business here or celebrating the most important milestones - their weddings and bar mitzvah events. This, together with the support of the local government that has managed to build an equal system for this - one that supports proper kosher food, kosher slaughter, According to federal law - and includes, of course, a series of adjustments that allow for a full and empowering Jewish life in the UAE. "
On a personal level, Rabbi Duchman notes that as the first rabbi of the United Arab Emirates (has lived in this place for seven years - dl), it is simply amazing to be a part of this broad vision and to be at the forefront of building this system.
In the past year we have built the first kosher nursery and kindergarten, Talmud Torah and Mikveh later.
All of this makes it possible to realize the great vision of Muhammad bin Zayd and the leadership of the United Arab Emirates. "