For the Very First Time in Dubai: Over Six Hundred Jewish Students

The chartered flights departed one after another. They were filled with hundreds of Jewish students from all over Russia and were headed to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. These students had all participated in weekly evening classes in Torah, Halacha and Chassidut throughout the year that were given over by Rabbis and Chabad Shluchim in over one hundred cities all over Russia. The students’ hard work paid off. After applying themselves and studying all year, they were rewarded with a unique trip- the largest Jewish group ever to visit Dubai.

The trip’s highlight is scheduled for Wednesday night, when two of the students will get married according to Jewish law under a chuppa canopy in the middle of the dessert. For most of the guests, the hundreds of students who will be there, it will be their first time seeing a Jewish wedding, which will no doubt leave a lasting impression on the direction that their personal lives will take.

Another unique event is scheduled for Thursday night at the grand “Expo” hall in Dubai and will be attended by official government representatives of the UAE. During this touching event all the participants will accept upon themselves the Yoke of Heaven.

This project, which is targeted to the next generation of Russian Jews, is spearheaded by “YaHaD”, the largest Jewish Youth Organization in all of the FSU, which is led by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Wilansky and his dedicated team. Along with Rabbis, Shluchim, and the rest of the staff, they offer a large spectrum of classes and programs for Jewish students during the entire year.

Photos by Yachad