Kosher in Dubai

Eight years ago, Elli Kriel and her family moved to Dubai. The commute of her husband’s work from Johannesburg was proving too taxing, and when he was asked if they would be willing to consider permanently relocating, after some reconnaissance, they decided to make the move.

In 2013, the Kriels were the only kosher family in Dubai, which was certainly a challenge. Elli’s primary focus was to settle in her two younger children, aged three and four at the time, into this new environment, as well as set up a kosher home. For those first couple of years, her husband focused on community, and she maintained focus on the family.

On the one hand, it was daunting to maintain their frum identity in such a foreign atmosphere. On the other hand, they continued to be pleasantly surprised by the openness and support they received, both locally and internationally.

Starting Slow

Initially, the Kriels would send suitcases from South Africa to Dubai filled with food necessities (at one point they were importing 120 kilograms of food in one trip!), but once they realized what they could buy locally, they only brought the items that they truly couldn’t get in Dubai, like meat, cheese, and butter. Meanwhile, word started spreading quickly that there was a kosher family in Dubai, and people began to reach out to them for guidance.