Hotels in Abu Dhabi will soon be certified for serving kosher cuisine, as the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is launching a hotel kosher certification process in the capital.
An agreement with the Emirates Agency for Kosher Certification gives Abu Dhabi’s hotel industry access to free certification services for a 12-month period, starting immediately.
To achieve kosher certification, food and beverage outlets in hotels must designate an area in the kitchen that is strictly for kosher food preparation that complies with kashrut – Jewish dietary laws.
For example, the Torah permits Jews to eat land animals which "chew their cud and have cloven hooves". That includes animals such as cows, sheep and goats, but excludes pigs.
Menus must also highlight to diners which dishes are kosher.
The news follows a recent directive issued to Abu Dhabi hotels to start offering kosher cuisine on room service menus and in restaurants.
Emirates Palace is kosher-approved
The Mandarin Oriental Emirates Palace is the first hotel in the emirate to be kosher-certified. Now, with the implementation of a free certification system, other hotels across Abu Dhabi are likely to follow suit.
The initiative paves the way for Jewish tourists of various nationalities to visit the UAE after the country's historic peace accord with Israel.
As well as attracting tourists, the introduction of kosher food looks set to bring new dishes to Abu Dhabi restaurants.
“The Abu Dhabi Hotels Kosher Certification Project provides the opportunity for citizens and residents in the UAE to experience new food items, as we look forward to welcoming Jewish tourists from around the world to our city," said Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, executive director of tourism and marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi.
Rabbi Duchman, founder and executive director of the Emirates Agency of Kosher Certification, said: “We are excited to be part of history as we assist the hotels to provide kosher options that will strengthen tourism. This initiative is all part of the Abu Dhabi government vision for the emirate to be a home for all people of all cultures and religious backgrounds and a true beacon of light to all of our neighbours."
The Emirates Agency for Kosher Certification (EAKC) was established earlier this year, and is the first legal entity responsible for kosher certification activities in the UAE.
Emirates airline's catering division recently announced it is opening the first major kosher food production facility in the UAE. Emirates Flight Catering is setting up the food production facility at the company’s headquarters in Dubai. Called Kosher Arabia, the global catering company will begin producing meals from the facility in January next year.
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
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- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
TICKETS
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
