More than 600 young Jewish men and women from Russia and the former Soviet Union celebrated the largest Jewish event in the history of the Arab state yesterday (Wednesday) in the heart of the Dubai desert.
Attendees, including Russia's chief rabbi, Rabbi Berl Lazar, and emirates with traditional attire, celebrated with a couple from the group, who chose to marry in a huge courtyard converted into a desert event garden, during a special Yahad campaign with the future generation of Jews in Eastern Europe.
The couple under the canopy, Photo: Eli Itkin
Hundreds of young people flew free of charge and the trip is free for them, as part of their studies as part of the "Together" project, which operates in more than 100 cities in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries.
The membership in the project is intended, among other things, to preserve the communities and prevent assimilation, while being able to meet Jewish spouses for wedding purposes.
Once a year they fly to various destinations, as a reward for their academic excellence and to help find matchmaking.
This Jewish activity is funded by a group of wealthy Russian Jews, recruited by the state rabbi Rabbi Berl Lazar, and officials in the Jewish community in Russia note that the UAE authorities welcome this activity, and representatives of the emirate government will meet with the group.
The big wedding in Dubai, Photo: Eli Itkin
Rabbi Lazar said: "The first generation of young people who grew up after the fall of the Iron Curtain came to visit Dubai, to see how even today one can walk around as proud Jews with a kippah and a tassel even in an Arab country. We were received very warmly.
The young people who were flown as part of the "Together" project, Photo: Eli Itkin
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