The kosher supervisor of the United Arab Emirates delegation takes the floor

Rabbi Yissachar Krakowski was a guest of the Emirati royal court, who spared no expense to ensure that the Kashrut watchers ate as well and as elegantly as anyone else.

With the normalisation between Israel and the UAE, kosher food is likely to be more in demand in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and more than ever before. From now on, it will be certified by the Orthodox Union.

Rabbi Yissachar Krakowski, CEO of OU Kosher in Israel, was in the UAE this week to ensure a high level of kosher for the local caterer, Elli’s Kosher Kitchen, which prepared meals for Jewish observer members of the Israeli and American delegations.

Elli Kriel, whose husband Ross Kriel is the lay leader of the Jewish community in the Emirates, opened his catering service several years ago.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacted her to provide kosher meals for projects involving Jews, Krakowski said. He had already been in contact with Kriel as she was looking to expand her business.

Last week, when it was announced that the Israeli and US delegations would travel to Abu Dhabi to start normalisation, Krakowski wondered if he would also travel to the Gulf.

Indeed, before the arrival of the Israeli delegation, Kriel asked if Krakowski could also come. The UAE government wanted to be sure that the food was fully certified kosher to a level that would be high for National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat, who is strictly orthodox.

Krakowski received an invitation from the Royal Court of the United Arab Emirates to certify the event.

“It was different from anything I’ve ever seen except a recent certification of kashrut in Riyadh,” said Krakowski.