Dubai’s Mall of Emirates now selling Jewish Hanukkah items

The mall is owned by one of the UAE’s most prominent Emirati families

Lubna Hamdan 1 Min Read

One of Dubai’s largest shopping malls, Mall of the Emirates, which is owned by prominent Emirati business conglomerate Majid Al Futtaim, is now selling decorative items for Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights.

A white marble menorah, which is the nine-branched candelabrum lit during the festival, is being sold at the mall’s Crate and Barrel shop, which is also franchised by the Majid Al Futtaim group in the UAE.

Frankly understands it is a first for the mall, which did not previously sell items related to the Jewish holiday. It is the only shopping mall in the UAE to sell Hanukkah-related items, Frankly understands.

The Crate and Barrel website describes the menorah as “modern” and which “coordinates effortlessly with all kinds of Hanukkah decor”.

There is no mention of Hanukkah on the Majid Al Futtaim Instagram account, which has nearly 100,000 followers, and which features Christmas decorations in its malls and social media accounts.

It is unclear whether Jewish shops sell decorations for Muslim and Christian holidays such as Eid and Christmas. 

In 2020, the Emirates signed the Abraham Accords, a diplomatic normalisation agreement between the UAE and Israel. That same year, the Burj Khalifa displayed a message in Hebrew to wish the Jewish people a Happy Hanukkah. 

The UAE is home to all religions and nationalities, and aims to create co-existence among cultures to solidify its place as a global capital for tolerance.