Gulf Jewish Communities Plan Expansive Pesach Programming

Published: March 15, 2021

Record 650 pounds of matzah shipped to the gulf this year

DUBAI – The Association of Gulf Jewish Communities (AGJC), the people-to-people network of Jewish communities from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries that are developing Jewish life in the region, has planned a variety of programming to support and enrich the yom tov of Pesach for the local Jews.

Among its significant initiatives for the holiday, the group has arranged for the shipment of nearly 650 pounds of matzah to the six GCC countries, along with kosher for Pesach food.

On Wednesday evening, March 24 at 7:00 p.m. in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia / 8:00 p.m. in Oman and the United Arab Emirates, the AGJC will host a Zoom lead by Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie on the topic of “Seder Essentials,” with a 30-minute seder focusing on the themes of the holiday and a Q&A session. Participants are invited to submit any questions live during the program. Those who are interested, can register here.

On Wednesday evening, March 31, AGJC leadership has been invited to Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi where Rabbi Yehuda Sarna, Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie and members of the board along with military chaplains and the Jewish Welfare Board will host a Pesach celebration with yom tov food and conversation for U.S. troops stationed at the base. The program will be webcast for other U.S. bases in the region.

“It is very exciting to see such demand for Pesach programming in the Gulf this year,” said Rabbi Abadie. “As many will be leading their own seder this year due to less travel because of the pandemic, we are looking forward to offering the Seder Essentials webinar in order to provide them with tools and tips for doing so.”

“We created the AGJC in order to share resources among the Jewish communities in the Gulf and one of our first projects was the coordination of matzah for the upcoming holiday,” said AGJC President Ebrahim Dawood Nonoo. “As a result, we are bringing in nearly 650 pounds of matzah which will be disseminated throughout the GCC, the largest amount to date.”

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