Israeli Delegation Holds Jewish Prayers in Saudi Arabia

An official delegation from Israel, including the second Cabinet minister to visit in as many weeks, held a formal Jewish prayer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on the holiday of Sukkot on Tuesday, as Saudi-Israeli relations improve.

As Breitbart News reported last week, Israel’s tourism minister, Haim Katz, became the first minister of an Israeli government to visit the kingdom, which does not yet have formal diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.

Now a second minister, communications minister Shlomo Karhi, is visiting Saudi Arabia, and participated in Jewish prayers for the fourth day of the holiday of Sukkot, known in English as the Feast of Tabernacles.

lsraeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi participates in a Jewish prayer service at his hotel in Saudi Arabia, using a Torah scroll dedicated to the ruler of the Kingdom, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. pic.twitter.com/52ENToCoNw

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) October 3, 2023

Jewish prayers are largely unheard of in the kingdom, though there were Jews in Arabia in the pre-Islamic age.

The Torah scroll used for the day’s readings was apparently brought to Saudi Arabia recently, and dedicated to the country’s rulers, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Pricne Mohammed bin Salman.

This Torah arrived in Saudi Arabia a few days ago, inscribed in the merit of King Salman and Crown Prince #MBS. Looking forward to seeing it myself very soon. @RabbiHerzog pic.twitter.com/AjUtanDAIl

— Avi Kaner ابراهيم אבי (@AviKaner) May 9, 2022

Rubbing eyes in joy & utter disbelief.

A Sukkot holiday prayer service, with minyan, took place this morning in Riyadh, complete with a Torah scroll stating “The Jewish Congregation, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” and dedicated to the Saudi king & crown prince.https://t.co/kZFvwHkNFy

— Daniel Pipes دانيال بايبس (@DanielPipes) October 3, 2023

The Times of Israel reported:

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi participated in a morning prayer service in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning, complete with a Torah scroll dedicated to the ruler of the kingdom as it strides toward normalization with the Jewish state.

The service, which included a quorum, or minyan, of at least 10 men, took place in Karhi’s hotel, and included three Jews who were in Riyadh but are not part of Karhi’s delegation.

Pictures released by Karhi’s office showed participants wearing traditional prayer shawls and holding an etrog [citron] alongside palm, myrtle and willow branches, part of a special rite for the Sukkot holiday.

Israel and Saudi Arabia are said to be close to a peace deal that would set the stage for regional peace and economic integration, though the Biden administration is said to be insisting on more Israeli concessions to the Palestinians.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the new biography, Rhoda: ‘Comrade Kadalie, You Are Out of Order’. He is also the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.