Dazzled in Dubai

A Jewish media surprise in the world’s glitziest city

The photo was taken by Miki (Michael) Spitzer, a nature and scenery photographer who lives in the Jerusalem suburb of Beitar Illit, on his recent trip to the United Arab Emirates — the country of oil sheikhs and opulence and tax-free business deals. And once he posted his photos, Spitzer’s private trip became a sensation. Those pictures, from the tallest building in the world to the huge traffic interchanges, from the under-the-radar tefillos at the local shul to the shot of his traveling companion davening in the desert, became the story of the week in Arab media.

Spitzer spent eight days in Dubai and the UAE capital city of Abu Dhabi in order to see the region’s wonders — some of them natural, some manmade. Most of the trip was spent in Dubai, the largest and most internationally visited of seven Arab emirates that comprise the UAE.

Dubai, the business hub of western Asia and the shopping capital of the Middle East (it’s a free trade zone and has no income tax), draws up to 20 million tourists and tens of thousands of business people from Europe and the West each year. Despite Dubai’s reputation for its oil wealth, today only about six percent of the state’s economy is supported by oil revenues. Most of its revenues come from its very vibrant commercial sector, and from the endless stream of tourists from all over the world who come to see the fantastic attractions that the emirate has to offer. The expansive and opulent construction and development – artificial islands, the tallest building and most expensive hotel in the world, malls dripping with luxury – have turned Dubai into a symbol of crazy wealth.

Israel and the UAE currently do not have official diplomatic or economic relations, and the UAE doesn’t allow Israeli citizens or passport holders entry into the country, except for transit — although in recent years there’s been extensive unofficial cooperation. In fact, just last week the very first bris milah took place in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi, arranged by Rabbi Yehudah Teichtal of Berlin (the parents of the baby used to live in Berlin). The mohel was Rabbi Shlomo Stein (an American citizen), who also flew in from his home in Beitar Illit.