Communications Minister Shomo Karhi (Likud), who landed in Saudi Arabia on Monday evening, Chol Hamoed Sukkos, to attend an international conference, davened Shacharis on Tuesday morning in the kingdom with a minyan with a Sefer Torah and arba minim.

Karhi, who is Shomer Torah V’Mitzvos, brought along his set of arba minim. The minyan was comprised of members of the Israeli delegation and three Jews who were in Riyadh for Sukkos. The Sefer Torah was provided by a “local Jew,” Karhi’s spokesperson said.

Following the tefillah, Karhi wrote on Twitter: ״וְכַוִּין פְּתִיחָן לֵהּ בְּעִלִּיתֵהּ נֶגֶד יְרוּשְׁלֶם וְזִמְנִין תְּלָתָה בְיוֹמָא הוּא בָּרֵךְ עַל בִּרְכוֹהִי וּמְצַלֵּא וּמוֹדֵא קֳדָם אֱלָהֵהּ״ (דניאל ו יא) – The windows were open in the home of Daniel toward Yerushalayim for tefillah. Also here in Riyadh, we were zocheh to daven with open windows toward Yerushalayim. Moadim L’Simcha.”

״וְכַוִּין פְּתִיחָן לֵהּ בְּעִלִּיתֵהּ נֶגֶד יְרוּשְׁלֶם וְזִמְנִין תְּלָתָה בְיוֹמָא הוּא בָּרֵךְ עַל בִּרְכוֹהִי וּמְצַלֵּא וּמוֹדֵא קֳדָם אֱלָהֵהּ״ (דניאל ו יא) – חלונות היו פתוחים בביתו של דניאל כלפי ירושלים לתפילה. גם כאן בריאד זכינו להתפלל עם חלונות פתוחים לכיוון ירושלים.… pic.twitter.com/SNsGeMBoUK

— 🇮🇱שלמה קרעי – Shlomo Karhi (@shlomo_karhi) October 3, 2023

Famed Saudi blogger Mohammed Saud wrote in Hebrew on Twitter: “Friends, is this a dream? A public minyan tefillah with a Sefer Torah and arba minim here in Riyadh on Chag HaSukkos! What is this if not true peace? Very soon, there will be shuls and kosher restaurants here. Peace is already here!”

חברים זה חלום? מנין תפילה עם ספר תורה וארבעת המינים כאן בריאד בחג הסוכות באופן גלוי ! מה זה אם לא שלום אמת? יהיה פה בית כנסת ומסעדות כשרות בקרוב מאוד השלום כבר פה! 🇸🇦🕊🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/4qMT6A63QY

— محمد سعود מוחמד סעוד Mohammed Saud (@mosaud08) October 3, 2023

Karhi flew to the kingdom as the head of an Israeli delegation, which included Likud MK David Bitan, chairman of the Knesset’s Economic Affairs Committee, in order to attend the Universal Postal Union’s 2023 Extraordinary Congress in Riyadh. Their visit comes after Tourism Minister Chaim Katz (Likud) made history last week by becoming the first Israeli minister to make a public visit to the kingdom.

During his visit, Karhi will speak at the conference and is scheduled to meet with the US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the Turkish communications minister, and other senior officials from around the world.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)