The Association of Gulf Jewish Communities (AGJC) has arranged for the shipment of nearly 650 pounds of matzah to all six GCC countries, along with kosher food, ahead of the Jewish Passover holiday.
“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,” he added.
During the Jewish holiday of Passover, observant Jews avoid food that is leavened, like bread and pasta, and instead eat matzah, a flat and crumbly cracker.
Throughout Passover, Jews abide by special dietary laws which include eating unleavened bread known as matzo. The tradition marks a Book of Exodus tale that the Jews did not have time to prepare leavened bread before leaving for the promised land.
On Wednesday evening, March 24 at 7:00 pm 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, the association’s spiritual leader, on the topic of “Seder Essentials,” with a 30-minute seder focusing on the themes of the holiday and a Q&A session.
The AGJC’s board consists of members from all six Gulf countries, who together will plan the path forward for the GCC Jewish community. The number of Jewish residents and tourists in the region is expected to grow following the signing of the historic Abraham Accords.
The UAE and Bahrain officially normalized relations with Israel at a signing ceremony at the US White House last September.