On Sunday, which was observed as the first night of Hanukkah, the Chief Rabbi of the United Arab Emirates lighted the Hanukkah Menorah at Dubai's EXPO 2020.
In front of a big gathering of dignitaries, merchants, Jews living in the Emirates, and tourists from all over the world, Rabbi Levi Duchman, the UAE's first resident rabbi, performed the holiday blessings and lit the menorah. The Hanukkah songs played by the local Jewish community's children's choir complemented the joyous candle lighting occasion.
The candle lighting ceremony took place in the Israel Pavilion at Dubai EXPO 2020, which is a 182-day long trade show with over two million people.
Have a look at the video here:
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Last year's Hanukkah candle lighting - which was also the first in the Gulf state's history; took place in front of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.
A 2020 joint statement detailing a normalisation of ties between the two Middle Eastern countries, Israel and the UAE have considerably extended collaboration, making the event possible.
Since the normalisation agreement, bilateral trade has increased, and partnerships in military, space exploration, and other areas of cooperation have also been proposed.
