Sunrise over Dubai (Photo: Envato)
It has been a singular honor to be among those that have led the emergence of the Jewish community in the UAE. I first started traveling to Dubai in 2008 and moved here with my family in 2013. It is now our home. Post Abraham Accords it is our pleasure to share the experience of the UAE with increasing numbers of Jewish visitors. Here is some key information for you to know if you have never visited the UAE before.
Where to Eat Kosher
I will begin with the Jewish basics. There are several kosher restaurants in Dubai. A new dairy restaurant, Elli’s Café, opens on the Palm at the end of August and will offer breakfast, pizza and Elli’s “kosherati” dishes. Several branches of Costa serve kosher sandwiches and salads (under OU) which are ideal for touring families. This includes a branch next to Ski Dubai in the Mall of the Emirates as well as branches in the Dubai Mall and on the Palm Jumeirah. There are three caterers who deliver kosher meals directly to your hotel – Kosher Arabia, Elli’s Kosher Kitchen and Treat Kosher and Kosher Arabia also sells kosher meat if you have your own cooking facilities. In Abu Dhabi there are two kosher restaurants; Aloft and the Kosher Place (Abu Dhabi).
Remember to order your kosher meal on Emirates so that you can try Kosher Arabia’s meals which are served fresh to Emirates out of Dubai. Kosher Arabis is the largest kosher facility in the UAE with a capacity to produce 2000 meals a day. All meals are under the kosher supervision of OU and UOS (Johannesburg).
Kosher Arabia Facility provides kosher food (Photo: Kosher Arabia)
The availability of Kosher Food in the UAE is a function of the high number of Jewish visitors to the UAE (nearly 300,000 just from Israel since 2020). It is also an expression of Hachnasat Orchim – the tradition of welcome that goes back to our shared ancestor Abraham.
Where to Daven
Where to Daven
Over Shabbat the Minyan on the Palm allows visitors to daven with members of the local community and enjoy being on the iconic Palm Jumeirah. Minyan on the Palm is based at St Regis Hotel (Palm) and is walkable from any of the hotels on the base of the Palm. A daily minyan is situated close by at Address Marina (daily at 8.00 am). There are Chabad services in the downtown area of Dubai and these two areas (Palm-Marina or Downtown) are the two logical places for you to base yourself in the city. See full list of minyan options in Dubai.
During the Chaggim there are many groups offering services and packages. This last Pesach we estimate that there were more than 3,000 Jews at various seders around the city of Dubai.
Kosher restaurants in Dubai (Photo Credit: Elli's Kosher Kitchen)
Traveling with Children
Kosher restaurants in Dubai (Photo Credit: Elli's Kosher Kitchen)
Traveling with Children
Aside from Dubai’s famous waterparks (such as Atlantis, Wild Wadi and Aqua Fun) there are also affordable ways to enjoy the ocean or the water. These include hiring a boat which can accommodate up to 20 people for about 800 AED/hour, visiting Kite Beach or JBR Beach which are public beaches with great facilities or staying at hotels like Dukes or Atlantis on the Palm which come with wonderful beach access and pools. Kosher boat tours are available from all the kosher caterers. Other fun activities for children include desert tours, Ski Dubai, the Dubai Fountains at Burj Khalifa and the Palm Fountain at the Pointe on the Palm and activities that residents enjoy such as Bounce Park (indoor trampoline) and several Wall Climbing Gyms (including Adventure HQ for beginners). During the summer activities tend to move indoors during the day.
Atlantis Hotel on Palm Jumeirah (Photo: Envato)
Viewing Dubai’s Architecture
The Burj Khalifa and the Burj al Arab are the most famous buildings in Dubai and both have observation decks or restaurants. The Burj Al Arab is iconic and the source of many of Dubai’s architectural conventions. The Burj Khalifa (named after the previous President) is the tallest building in the world – nearly a kilometer high and made famous by Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. However, we love the Cayan Tower in the Marina which my children call the “Twisty Licorice” building as well as the new Museum of the Future with its elongated “torus” shape decorated with an inspirational quotation about the future in Arabic from HH Sheikh Mohamed (the leader of Dubai and the Vice-President of the UAE). In addition to viewing the city from either Burj there are other extraordinary views available from the Frame, the View at the Palm, Ain Dubai (the Dubai Eye) and the world’s highest 360-degree infinity pool at Aura Skypool lounge on the Palm. Outside of Dubai, an unmissable attraction is the Louvre in Abu Dhabi and especially its dome which is a geometric structure of 7,850 stars that weighs 7,500 tonnes. Members of our community were involved in the construction of the Louvre and the Frame and we are proud to be associated with these monumental projects.
Making your Holiday Transformative
Many Jews visiting the UAE have a deeply transformative experience. There are many reasons for this, especially post-Abraham Accords. Most important is the opportunity to engage with Islamic culture and civilization. Visiting the Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi may be your first opportunity to lean more about Islam and wonder at this marvel of architecture and praise of the divine. As you learn more about Islam, you can appreciate its many obvious commonalities with Jewish practice. It is also possible to engage with the story and vision of the UAE which you can do by visiting the Museum of the Future in Dubai, the Al Ain Palace Museum in Ai Ain (1.5 hour drive from Dubai) or Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi. The Crossroads of Civilizations Museum in Dubai’s historical Shindagha area includes the region’s first holocaust exhibit as well as a wonderful exhibit on the history of pearling in the region. In general, the experience of being in the UAE – including its diversity, the mutual respect and tolerance of its residents and its aspiration to excellence – is transformative in itself even without learning more about its visionary founding leaders. Notwithstanding the enormous achievements of Dubai’s leaders and builders, the culture of the place is also modest and understated and our Jewish community has enjoyed taking its place among so many different cultures and religions.
I never stop learning about the UAE and the culture of its people and I feel deeply inspired by its optimistic vision of our shared human future. I hope this brief introduction is helpful and triggers a curiosity that will bring you here to enjoy and even to participate in the building of our Jewish Community.
Ross Kriel (Photo: Kosher Arabia)
Ross Kriel (Photo: Kosher Arabia)
Ross Kriel is the Jewish Representative to the Dubai Government and a founder of the Jewish community in the UAE.