Iranian Jews receive 500 etrogim, bunches of myrtle via UAE for Sukkot

0

Some 500 etrogim, or cedrats as they are called in English, were sent via the United Arab Emirates to the Iranian Jewish community for use in the “four species” tradition used in prayer services on the upcoming Sukkot festival. .
Etrogim are cultivated in Italy, Israel and Morocco, but not in Iran. The Jewish community typically imports the item via Turkey, but as that country has experienced a high level of COVID-19 infections in recent weeks, this has made delivery of etrogim to Iran more difficult.

For this reason, the shipment of etrogim for Iranian Jews was delivered in a few large suitcases across the UAE this year instead.

Packets of myrtle, another of the four species, have also been delivered to Iran via the United Arab Emirates as they are not grown locally either, while the local Jewish community is able to source two more. species – palm and willow branches – from the inside. the country.

Members of the Jewish community in the United Arab Emirates helped deliver the items to Iran.

A Jewish woman in Khazakstan holding the four species in front of Sukkot. (credit: ALLIANCE OF RABBIS IN ISLAMIC STATES)

“Jews have practiced Judaism in the Muslim world for thousands of years,” said Rabbi Mendy Chitrik, president of the Alliance of Rabbis of Islamic States, which coordinated the deliveries.

“It is only natural that Jews in Muslim countries help each other to facilitate the needs of the holidays in order to enable other Jews to fulfill their religious obligations,” he continued. “We have seen that the governments of the Islamic world are very supportive of Jews practicing Jewish life. “

The alliance also ensured that the four species were delivered to Jews in other Muslim countries, where they are also not readily available, with help from the Jewish Agency and the Meromim Foundation.

He helped import etrogim and myrtle to Turkey, which were imported by air cargo from Israel, and also helped import and distribute the four species in Kazakhstan and distant Kyrgyzstan.

Back in the UAE, the alliance helped import 300 sets of four species for Jewish communities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Rabbi Levi Duchman and the organization of the Jewish community center he heads have them. distributed.

Share.

Leave A Reply