Shabbat in Dubai

Written By Nazhath Faheema

I had the wonderful opportunity to join the Jewish community in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for Shabbat. Dr. Rabbi Elie Abadie, the Senior Rabbi of the Jewish Council of the Emirates in the UAE, graciously hosted me for the day. This allowed me to be part of the Shabbat service and share a meal with Jewish members from around the world.

During my time there, I had the pleasure of meeting individuals from various Jewish traditions, including Sephardic, Ashkenazi, and Hasidic backgrounds. Being included in their camaraderie as we prayed together, enjoyed a meal, and even sang Arabic and Hebrew songs was truly heartwarming.

Witnessing a significant event like a 𝘣𝘢𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘻𝘷𝘢𝘩, the Jewish coming-of-age ritual, added to the meaningful experiences of the day.

Nazhath Faheema

Nazhath Faheema, a Singaporean Muslim of Indian descent, actively promotes interfaith dialogue. She holds a full-time position at an NGO where she focuses on organizing interfaith charity events. Additionally, she plays an active role in community development, particularly in developing youth leadership to foster social harmony.

Furthermore, Nazhath serves as an external lecturer at ESSEC Asia Pacific in Singapore. She teaches students from Europe and Asia regions on "Race & Religion in Singapore" and "Islam in Singapore."

Nazhath earned her Master of Science in Asian Studies from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She also holds a certificate in the Comparative Study of Religions in Plural Societies. Her research interests span various areas, including youth interfaith movements in Southeast Asia, Jewish-Muslim relations, interactions between Muslim-majority states and Israel, and interreligious dialogue in diplomacy.

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