Brooklyn-born Rabbi Levi Duchman, 29, and his Belgian-born bride Lea Hadad, 27, were wed in a huge ceremony in Abu Dhabi attended by 1,500 guests, including UAE royalty and ambassadors from around the globe.

“What's unique and special is that the wedding brings together many people who have never been in the Arab world, so to have them at the wedding is not only about the event but the symbol of this journey in supporting the growth of the Jewish community,” he said.  

 He spent two years in Morocco alongside his sister Chana and brother-in-law, Rabbi Levi Banon, gaining his inspiration for rebuilding the Jewish community in the Arab world, during which time learnt to speak Arabic.

Rabbi Duchman has established an extensive infrastructure to enable Jewish life including places of worship, kosher food production, catering and restaurants, and children’s and adults’ education institutions.  

She was first introduced to Rabbi Duchman earlier this year in Tel Aviv. The match was made by a friend of the Duchman family she met in Israel.

UAE Rabbi Levi Duchman with Léa Hadad

UAE Rabbi Levi Duchman with Léa Hadad (Handout)

“This is a country which really embraces unity between people, regardless of religion or race. It feels a very welcoming place and it feels like the future of the world also,” she said.

Rabbi Duchman’s older sister Zeldy Engel Duchman arrived from Colorado with her husband Shmuel. She told the JC: “There is no way we could have imagined this wedding happening in the UAE just a few years ago, for so many reasons. For all of his siblings, it has been a dream to come to Abu Dhabi to see where Levi lives.

“The fact the whole wedding came together here in Abu Dhabi was beyond exciting.”