Serving Jews In The United Arab Emirates: An Interview with Rabbi Levi Duchman – The Jewish Press – JewishPress.com
Posted By admin on October 2, 2020
Photo Credit: Rabbi Duchman
Before it signed a normalization agreement with Israel, the United Arab Emirates had already distinguished itself as one of the only Arab countries in the world where Jews could live safely.
Founded in 1971, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is currently home to approximately 2,000-3,000 Jews. Its only full-time rabbi is Rabbi Levi Duchman, a 27-year-old Lubavitcher chassid, who recently spoke to The Jewish Press.
The Jewish Press: How would you describe the reaction to the signing of the Abraham Accords in the UAE?
Rabbi Duchman: Amazing, thank G-d. Everyone is just so excited about it, and it has brought this really nice warm feeling to everyone here.
Do people in the UAE really like Jews or are they just excited to be able to do business with an economic powerhouse like Israel?
They deeply, deeply love the Jewish people. The UAE is a place of tolerance, a place of co-existence, and weve always been very well respected.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, the crown prince of Abu Dubai, really pushes the people to be a beacon of light to their neighbors, so they have tremendous respect for all Jews.
How do you explain that? Most Arabs we read about Syrian Arabs, Palestinian Arabs, Egyptian Arabs generally arent fond of Jews. How do you explain the Arabs in the UAE being different?
If you look at the name of the accord between the UAE and Israel, its called the Abraham Accords. We both come from our father Abraham. Were cousins. The Jews and Arabs lived together very well for hundreds of years in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Lebanon, Syria you name it.
They dont judge people on their religion here. Theres true tolerance and co-existence.
Whats Jewish life like in the UAE?
We have shuls in Dubai and in Abu Dhabi. In addition to the 2,000-3,000 Jews who live here, we now have thousands of Jewish tourists who are already starting to come.
We used to have 50-60 people on Shabbos and almost never a minyan during the week besides on Rosh Chodesh. Ever since the signing of the accord, though, I have a daily minyan.
What kind of Jews live in the UAE?
There are many Westerners from America, Europe, and South Africa. We also have Middle East Jews from Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya. We just got two new families from Yemen, so were quite diverse.
Have any of these Jews lived in the UAE for a long time?
The Jew whos lived here the longest has been here for 40 years. The UAE is only 50 years old.
What do you do on a daily basis?
For the past six years, Ive been the only rabbi living in the UAE, so my day is very busy from the early morning I learn with adults, we have a Talmud Torah for 40 children, and we have kosher slaughtering for chickens.
The community is really diverse so were dealing with Sephardi Jews, Ashekenazi Jews, Jews who are more affiliated, less affiliated all different types.
How did you wind up in the UAE?
Im from New York Crown Heights and I have a brother-in-law and sister who live in Casablanca, Morocco, so I spent time in Morocco where I learned Arabic. And from there I started servicing the Jewish community here in the Gulf region, and slowly the visits turned into more and more until about five years ago I moved here.
Today, theres a full Jewish infrastructure in the UAE. We have a Talmud Torah, we have a kosher restaurant [in Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest building]. So really a Jewish family can move here and have everything.
Do you have a mikveh?
Were building the nicest mikveh in the world very soon. The groundbreaking is in a few weeks.
Do you think an increasing number of frum Jews will be coming to the UAE?
Yes, 100 percent and we have the infrastructure for them. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed is opening up the doors for everyone. He wants everyone to come. They have tremendous hachnasasat orchim.
Is it true that hachnasas orchim is a mitzvah Arabs excel in?
Yes, 100 percent. Thats why [the countrys leadership has] reached out to all the hotels, encouraging them to have kosher food. Its been a tremendous opportunity and privilege to be the rabbi on the ground, managing to put it all together.
Right now, since the signing of the accords, I have seven intern rabbis working here helping set up the kosher infrastructure.
Is making an establishment kosher easier in Muslim countries than in Christian or secular countries?
Muslims are used to the idea of halal, but kosher requires on-site supervision, which is a game changer. That said, there are similarities, which makes it easier.
Unlike most Lubavitch shluchim, youre single. Do you plan on remaining in the UAE after you get married, G-d willing?
Yes, of course.
Its been reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently called you. Is that true?
Yes. He called shortly after the signing of the accord. He called to tell us that the government is important to put things together, but the power of the communities the Emirate community and the Jewish community respecting each other and working together is tremendous. So we have to continue to build Jewish life here and build a brighter future together.
How long was the conversation for?
About 10 minutes.
Did you have any message for Netanyahu?
We told him how encouraging Bin Zayed always is to our community, we told him about our kosher restaurant, we told him about our plans for the mikveh, we told him that we are proud of our Jewish infrastructure, and ahlan wasalan everyone is welcome to come, see, participate, and enjoy.
Go here to read the rest:
- I resisted the call to include non-male voices every time I taught Torah. Then I tried it. - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - January 4th, 2021
- Law professor Ray Bernstein, 56, dies in bike accident - The Jewish News of Northern California - January 4th, 2021
- Let's head into the new year in a new frame of mind - The Jewish News of Northern California - January 4th, 2021
- The Purpose Of Chassidus In The Alter Rebbe's Own Words - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - January 4th, 2021
- Opinion/Keep the Faith: Hanukkah reminds us of light and hope, even in dark times - Worcester Telegram - December 19th, 2020
- Opinion: The true meaning of Hanukkah (hint, it's not about joy) - The Detroit News - December 19th, 2020
- Is the Temple Menorah Hidden in the Vatican? - Questions & Answers - Chabad.org - December 19th, 2020
- Circumcision, Berzerkeley, and the Power of Five Minutes - Chabad.org - December 19th, 2020
- He Flew in From London for Reasons He'd Never Imagined - Chabad.org - December 19th, 2020
- Rabbis and Jewish ethicists hail vaccine for COVID-19, encourage its use - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix - December 19th, 2020
- Why it's kosher to go a little wild with the Hanukkah swag - Los Angeles Times - December 16th, 2020
- Increasing the Light of Allyship This Hanukkah - Jewish Journal - December 16th, 2020
- Why it's kosher to bring a little zing to the Hanukkah celebration - Bangor Daily News - December 16th, 2020
- Is the Menorah Hidden in the Vatican? - Chabad.org - December 16th, 2020
- Community mourns the passing of former CJC president Goldie Hershon - The Suburban Newspaper - December 16th, 2020
- Perseverence Vs. Perfection - An Essay on Vayigash - Kabbalah, Chassidism and Jewish Mysticism - Chabad.org - December 16th, 2020
- The New Generation of LGBTQ Jews and Tattoos - jewishboston.com - December 16th, 2020
- Men have dominated Jewish texts for most of history. These women are trying to change that. - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - December 11th, 2020
- I knew Hanukkah celebrated defeating the Greeks. Then I moved to Athens and the story got complicated. - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - December 11th, 2020
- What are good vegetarian dishes to have on Shabbat? - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - December 11th, 2020
- Five Brave Men and One Brave Woman - Judah the Maccabee and his siblings - Chabad.org - December 11th, 2020
- Hanukkah in Fall River Zooming live courtesy of Temple Beth El - Fall River Herald News - December 11th, 2020
- You Take Christmas, I'll Take Hanukkah | Michael Harvey | The Blogs - The Times of Israel - December 11th, 2020
- Bursting the bubble: Even the Rabbis perpetuated a "hoax!" - jewishpresspinellas - December 11th, 2020
- All up in lights - The River Reporter - December 11th, 2020
- Hanukkah This year and next - Forward - December 11th, 2020
- Dozens of Impressive Siyumim for Volume 5 of the Mishnah Berurah, In the Second Cycle of the Daf Hayomi in Halachah Were Held - Yeshiva World News - December 11th, 2020
- To Be A Wise Guy (Part I) - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - December 11th, 2020
- What most Jews don't realise about festival with more gifts than Christmas - The Age - December 11th, 2020
- Jewish digital library gets better and now were in it - The Jewish Standard - November 19th, 2020
- Interfaith: Even when we disagree, we should respect others - VC Star - November 19th, 2020
- Ask a busy person and you'll get the job done - The Jewish Star - November 19th, 2020
- Ibogaine Clinic Treats Suboxone Addiction and Is Saving Lives - Influencive - November 19th, 2020
- Parshat Chayei Sarah and the Wisdom of Old Age - Algemeiner - November 19th, 2020
- Synonyms in the Hebrew Language Boys & Girls (Part 1 of 2) - The Jewish Voice - November 19th, 2020
- Parashat Toldot: Opening the Conversation - My Jewish Learning - November 19th, 2020
- Boys And Girls (Part I) - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - November 19th, 2020
- Is Israel being SMART with COVID-19? | Mendel Weinberger - The Times of Israel - November 19th, 2020
- Ruth Calderon to be WZO president - The Jerusalem Post - October 30th, 2020
- Why are the Jews called the people of the Book? - The Jerusalem Post - October 30th, 2020
- Straight rabbis need to offer LGBTQ Jews so much more than just wedding ceremonies - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - October 30th, 2020
- Elijah the Prophet - My Jewish Learning - October 30th, 2020
- Christians have struggled to understand Judaism on its own terms - The Christian Century - October 30th, 2020
- Why Orthodox Jews believe studying Torah protects from COVID-19 - Haaretz.com - October 30th, 2020
- The Plight of MENA Religious Minorities: A War for Civilization? - The Media Line - October 30th, 2020
- Straight rabbis need to offer LGBTQ Jews more than just wedding ceremonie - The Jerusalem Post - October 30th, 2020
- Mikvah off the Coast of Tokyo - First-Person Stories - Chabad.org - October 30th, 2020
- Finally, a podcast that addresses our crisis of meaning - Big Think - October 30th, 2020
- Haredim add to COVID-19 complications in Israel - Cleveland Jewish News - October 30th, 2020
- Amy Coney Barrett needs a Talmudic view of the Constitution J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - October 28th, 2020
- Opinion | What the Talmud can teach Amy Coney Barrett about 'Originalism' - Forward - October 28th, 2020
- A Jewish Guide to Dealing With Demons - jewishboston.com - October 28th, 2020
- The Vibe of the Tribe Podcast: Monsters and Demons in Jewish Folklore - jewishboston.com - October 28th, 2020
- In praise of the yeshiva and yet something crucial is missing - Forward - October 28th, 2020
- A 500-Year-Old Rif - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - October 28th, 2020
- I grew up in Orthodox Brooklyn. We must apply the same COVID-19 standards for all and Jews must choose life. - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - October 28th, 2020
- Unity's no goal when not everyone's the same - The Jewish Star - October 28th, 2020
- Prop 14: Don't Stand Idly By - Jewish Journal - October 28th, 2020
- Choose life! That's the Jewish way, and it hasn't changed - The Times of Israel - October 28th, 2020
- Learn how to respond to gossip - The Altamont Enterprise - October 28th, 2020
- The Jewish people have much to thank President Trump for - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - October 28th, 2020
- Judaism can provide the answer to our current crisis of leadership - The Jerusalem Post - October 28th, 2020
- Lubavitch Announces Emissary to the United Arab Emirates - Chabad.org - October 28th, 2020
- 'Bound in the Bond of Life' Anthology Published on Two-Year Commemoration of Massacre - Jewish Exponent - October 28th, 2020
- What Rabbi And Rebbetzin Kramer Want You To Know About Their Daughter Gitty - Yeshiva World News - October 28th, 2020
- A Talmudic duel with Death comes to life in mosaic form in new book - Forward - October 16th, 2020
- Why Is the Torah Read at Shabbat Minchah? - Chabad.org - October 16th, 2020
- Why Do Some Letters in the Torah Have 'Crowns'? - Chabad.org - October 16th, 2020
- 7 Facts About the Traveler's Prayer Every Jew Should Know - Prayer - Chabad.org - October 16th, 2020
- Prop. 18 is vital for teens who want and deserve to vote - The Jewish News of Northern California - October 16th, 2020
- Apostolic asides: 29 brief insights from footnotes Latter-day Saint leaders added to conference talks - East Idaho News - October 16th, 2020
- Amy Coney Barrett may threaten access to IVF, and Jewish fertility advocates are worried - Forward - October 16th, 2020
- Sedra of the Week: Shemini Atzeret | Jewish News - Jewish News - October 10th, 2020
- The Day We Stop in the Name of Love - Jewish Exponent - October 10th, 2020
- JUF News | Less-than-perfect? Perfectly fine: The lesson of the three-walled sukkah - Jewish United Fund - October 8th, 2020
- Simhat Torah in the corona age - The Jerusalem Post - October 8th, 2020
- Dont Forsake Family Traditions - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - October 8th, 2020
- Jewish tradition supports expanding the Supreme Court - Forward - October 8th, 2020
- Shmini Azeret and Simchat Torah - The Jewish Voice - October 8th, 2020
- My shul did everything right and the government still shut us down. Theyre right. - Forward - October 8th, 2020
Comments