For the first time ever, Jewish communities in the Gulf States celebrated a virtual Purim together – a Purim like no other.
Hosted by the brand-new Association of Gulf Jewish Communities (AGJC), the ZOOM meeting took place in Dubai and Bahrain.
It included an introduction in Arabic from Bahraini-Jewish businessman, Ebrahim Dawood Nonoo, AGJC president and a keynote address from the H.E. Dr. Sh. Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Co-existence in Bahrain.
Lebanese-born, American Rabbi Elie Abadie, who heads the AGJC read the Book of Esther in Hebrew from a scroll with his wife and eldest son sitting at his side. (Normally, the Esther scroll reading would be in synagogue with costumed congregants participating.)
The evening meeting also included a presentation from Muslim, Emirati calligraphy artist Tawfik Zakaria, who created a piece live that said Happy Purim Holiday in Hebrew.
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