Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel s diplomatic reporter
Rabbi Elie Abadie (yellow tie) joins the Jewish community in the UAE for a Hanukkah celebration (photo credit: Courtesy)
The Jewish communities in six Persian Gulf countries announced on Monday the establishment of the region’s first communal organization, complete with a rabbi and Jewish court, the Beth Din of Arabia.
The Association of Gulf Jewish Communities (AGJC), which brings together Jews in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, will be headed by Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie and president Ebrahim Dawood Nonoo.
The AGJC is creating a Jewish court, called the Beth Din of Arabia, to preside over issues of civil disputes, personal status, inheritance, and Jewish ritual. It will also run the Arabian Kosher Certification Agency throughout the six Gulf countries.