The coronavirus restrictions and the current ban on weddings in Israel have forced couples to look for a wedding destination abroad. Dubai is proving to be a popular destination not only for tens of thousands of Israeli tourists but for couples that dream of a big wedding too.
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An official at the Dubai principality told Israel Hayom that authorities in the United Arab Emirates received hundreds of requests from ultra-Orthodox communities from Israel and the US to hold weddings in Dubai with hundreds of guests attending.
According to the official, the ultra-Orthodox leaders suggested that if the authorities approve the requests to hold mass weddings in Dubai, they would, in turn, send rabbis and kashrut supervisors to the emirate.
Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thami, a resident of the UAE and owner of dozens of event halls and venues in Dubai and other UAE emirates, told Israel Hayom that multiple prominent Hassidic leaders contacted him with the request to hold events in his halls and venues.
"We have received multiple requests from Jewish leaders in Israel and the US asking us to rent our event halls. We are ready to conduct business with anyone who is interested, regardless of religion, as long as the authorities approve," Al Thami said.
"We are in the advanced stage of negotiations with the leaders. If Dubai remains a green country [a designation that allows Israelis returning from a visit to avoid self-isolation], religious Jews from Israel and the US will be holding events in our halls very soon."
We were approached with similar requests by Israeli Arabs too, both Muslims and Christians. It is a great honor for us to host weddings for those from the Arab sector in Israel. Unfortunately, the price might have spooked some of them away."
Izu Yitzhak, CEO of a photography company popular among ultra-Orthodox, has received dozens of requests in the past week from families interested in holding their children's weddings in Dubai.
He says that there have been similar requests from the Arab sector as well, although much fewer than from the ultra-Orthodox sector, "perhaps because of financial concerns and other considerations." According to Yitzhak, "dozens of ultra-Orthodox weddings will be held in Dubai in the upcoming weeks."
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