The Israeli-US delegation that flew on the historic flight to the United Arab Emirates on Monday includes members who are makpid on kashrus.
The Emirates flew in Rav Yissachar Krakowski, the director of OU Israel, to oversee the preparations necessary to serve kosher food to the delegation members in the Muslim country.
R’ Krakowski, who is also the Rosh Kollel at Rav Tzvi Kushelevsky’s Heichal HaTorah, told B’Chadrei Chareidim that according to what he understood from UAE officials, National Security Council head Meir Ben-Shabbat, who headed the delegation and is religious, requested that kosher food be provided.
R’ Karkowski flew to the UAE 24 hours before the arrival of the delegation in order to kasher the kitchen and cooking equipment.
The sign outside the Shacharis minyan:
Outside the minyan. This sign: pic.twitter.com/u2zYqi8qri
— Raphael Ahren (@RaphaelAhren) September 1, 2020
“The Emiratis greatly respect the Jews and there’s no problem walking on the street here with a hat and jacket,” R’ Karkowski said. “Everyone here is very generous, very nice and shows respect to everyone.”
R’ Karkowski added that he also worked in Saudi Arabia when a delegation of members of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations traveled there on an official visit this past February, the first official visit to the kingdom of an American Jewish organization since 1993, when the American Jewish Congress sent a delegation to Saudi Arabia to endorse the Oslo agreements.
The delegation of 30 Jewish American leaders, including Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice-chairman of the New York-based Presidents’ Conference, was hosted in Riyadh for a four-day summit, with the kingdom providing kosher food and security.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
Cute – Did anyone notice how, on the teuda, the St Regis became Regis Street? (Cf S Paul, Simcha Monica)
Very interesting! So cool!
Why wear a black hat there when we can wear the blue turban which is what Jews historically wore in The Muslim countries? I’d be happy to wear a blue turban there.
– and it is clearly intended as “street,” rather than just a reversal of the words, as it says רח׳ רג׳ס . Is it possible that it was not done to avoid using the word, and whoever wrote it actually thought that is what is meant by “St Regis”?