Dubai UAE…The big news recently out of the UAE was the huge wedding for Dubai of Rabbi Levi Duchman, chief rabbi of the UAE. The food at the wedding was kosher, catered by Hilton, Yas Island. Kosher certification was provided by EAKC (Emirates Agency for Kosher Certification), the sole government-certified kosher supervision agency, which was founded by the groom to make kosher food available in the Emirates. Rabbi Duchman, born in Brooklyn, has been residing in the UAE since 2014. His work has included Jewish schools, institutions, and houses of worship in the country, one of them being the government-licensed kosher agency. He has also brought several rabbis to the UAE to join him in serving the community and established a rabbinical training program for rabbinical interns. His bride Lea Hadad is also a significant part of the Jewish community, her father being the chief Rabbi of Brussels, and her grandfather was responsible for the setup of the Chabad community in Milan.
Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi are rapidly becoming the stars of kosher travel with a focus on the upcoming Sukkot holiday. Elli's Kosher Kitchen is sponsoring an Emirati themed Sukkah in the lush gardens of the five Star Le Meridien Hotel. With a private entrance, and a dedicated ballroom for dining in case the weather is too humid for some, it will also have a daily minyan with a Sephardi chazan from New York.
Treat Kosher, Dubai’s top rated Kosher Catering and high-end restaurant operator teamed with world renowned luxury production company Fleishman-Peles to create the world’s first Sukkot program in collaboration with the brand-new Taj Exotica Resort & Spa at the Jumeirah Palm Dubai. Treat Kosher previously sponsored successful programs on the holidays of Sukkot, Chanukah, Shavuot, and Passover. In addition, says the AP, “Visitors to the world’s tallest building, a tapering cylinder of aluminum and glass that has become emblematic of modern Dubai, may encounter an unlikely sight this week: a small, tent-like structure made of sticks, leaves and twine.”
