Jewish children in UAE targeted by antisemitism amid Gaza war, say parents
The local community has flourished since the 2020 Abraham Accords, but incidents in schools spark fear for some parents, while others say they feel safer than elsewhere in the Diaspora
In the United Arab Emirates, where Jewish life has thrived since the 2020 US-brokered Abraham accords, Jewish children are now finding themselves on the front line when it comes to antisemitism as the Israel-Hamas war rages on in Gaza.
Jewish parents in the UAE have spoken to The Times of Israel anonymously in the interest of protecting their children. They relate that their children face cursing and verbal abuse in school, and even more serious incidents — including being threatened with plastic knives in the local neighborhood and being posed the question, “Israel or Palestine?”
“The kids are having the hardest time,” a senior member of the community said. “They really are in the most sensitive position as they’re kids, and what do they say when they’re targeted for something that is so much bigger than them?”
Other parents told The Times of Israel of incidents including children being called “dirty fucking Jew,” while others have been asked, “How many babies did you kill today, baby killer?”
While the UAE has a zero tolerance policy towards hate crimes and bullying, most cases are dealt with on a school level — and, parents say, not always satisfactorily. Some Jewish children were forced to move schools to escape the abuse.
As the war drags on, security has been tightened around the close-knit Jewish community, which has bonded only more deeply, not only after the outbreak of the conflict, but in the aftermath of the tragic murder of 28-year-old Chabad emissary Rabbi Zvi Kogan in November.
Though the community feels safe in the Gulf Arab state, the war has had a major impact on Jewish life. In Dubai, Shabbat and holiday gatherings have been limited. Communal events, which until recently have been held in hotels or other authorized spaces, have been forced back into homes — a throwback to the days before the accords when public Jewish life wasn’t officially sanctioned.
However, in Abu Dhabi, prayers have continued at the Abrahamic Family House, the first synagogue built in the region for more than 100 years, part of a complex also housing a mosque and church.
“Nobody is afraid here, but for children, being targeted for their race or religion at school is very tough,” added the senior community member.
At last year’s annual International Day, where schools celebrate the diversity of the roughly 200 countries represented among the population with stalls for each nation, there was a ban on any kind of Israeli presence amid the war. Meanwhile, Palestine was recognized, in some cases with maps showing Palestine superimposed over Israel, parents told The Times of Israel.
One Israeli parent who is a dual citizen said that their children only go by the nationality of their second passport to protect them from potential abuse.
A booming population gone bust?
The UAE’s Jewish community went from a few dozen members living in the shadows before the Abraham Accords, to what is now believed to be more than 2,000, with Jews from Israel, Europe and the global Diaspora flocking to the tax haven.
The global Hasidic Jewish outreach group Chabad has been at the forefront of efforts to establish elements of Jewish life from prayer quorums to a kosher supermarket, ritual bath and school.
Those children who do not attend the Jewish school are experiencing unprecedented levels of prejudice. A community member said his children have been shunned by classmates.
“But where in the world is good for Jews? Israelis and Jews are struggling all over the world. It’s very sad, but this is our reality,” he said.
However, another parent whose child has been through extensive verbal bullying said the education authorities and even Dubai Police have provided excellent support.
“It’s not just about the schools. The authorities take this very seriously,” the parent said. “We need the teachers to be able to manage this, but the main thing is how we prepare our children at home, teaching them how to interact with this behavior, and most importantly, not responding to it, as this can make things worse.”
“Providing a safe home environment is crucial while teaching them to be proud of their identity, and we must teach the children that they are simply victims of ignorance,” they said.
Justice for rabbi’s murder
As a beloved member of the community, the tragic murder of 28-year-old Chabad emissary Kogan in November has left the community reeling, but on Monday, the UAE government released a statement saying his three killers, all Uzbek nationals, had been sentenced to death.
While it will not bring back the much-loved young rabbi, it serves some justice to a broken-hearted community.
The recent complications have led some to question whether living in the Muslim Gulf state is the right thing for them and their families, though others have seen the situation as a chance to make a difference.
“I see my kids as ambassadors,” said one Israeli father. “My children are the first time many of these Muslim children have come face to face with Israelis and this is profound. This is a chance for them to see us as human beings, to see us for our similarities, and living in Israel, we don’t have this same opportunity to make a difference.”
“In Israel, we are shielded, but in the Diaspora, we are responsible for showing why we must be the ‘light unto the nations’ even more than ever, and now is really that time,” he said.
However, while many children continue to battle prejudice, some senior members of the community say things are starting to improve.
“It was harder at the beginning of the war when there were more extreme incidents, but things have certainly got better. And relatively speaking, the UAE is still a far better country for us to be in than many across the world, as antisemitism is rising,” said one.
“Yes, there have been incidents, but nothing like the mass rallies, ongoing assaults and verbal abuse we have seen in other countries,” the senior community member said.
Last year was a “peak year” for antisemitism in the wake of the Gaza war, with a 340 percent increase in global incidents compared to 2022, according to the latest report from the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency for Israel, and a 288% increase in the US, home to roughly half of the world’s Jewish population.
But with protests banned in the UAE and open displays of nationalism, such as displaying flags other than that of the UAE, also banned as the country promotes tolerance and coexistence, government policies have helped maintain an aura of calm more than many other countries around the world.
“The UAE is very strict on hate crimes and prejudice and has cracked down on incidents very quickly, even before the war,” another senior community member who had been assisted by Dubai Police in a verbal abuse incident told The Times of Israel.
“We genuinely do feel far safer here than our friends and family members in other parts of the Diaspora, like those from London or Paris, where pro-Palestine sentiment has transformed into acts of violence and hatred towards Jews,” they said.
The Times of Israel Community.