Omer Adam’s Simhat Torah in Dubai
‘ I feel like I represent everyone when I say ‘ shalom and salaam aleichem’
Israeli pop star Omer Adam celebrated Simhat Torah with the Jewish community in Dubai.
A few months ago, Adam posted a video congratulating leaders of the United Arab Emirates for providing aid to the country's local Jewish community. Since then, residents of the UAE have posted videos of themselves listening to Adam's songs, according to Maariv, The Jerusalem Post’s sister newspaper in Hebrew. Shortly after Israel announced the normalization agreement with the UAE, Adam received a message from Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa and from the president of the Jewish community in Dubai, Solly Wolf, inviting him to visit the country.
Adam visited Bin Khalifa's home after he landed on Saturday
and discussed business and future shows in the UAE. He later joined Simhat Torah celebrations at the synagogue in Dubai.
“This is a challenging time in which each of us makes a reckoning between himself and his friend and between him and the Creator of the universe,” said Adam, according to Maariv. “I chose to be in this dreamy place and meet a wonderful people who love the people of Israel.
“I am proud to be an ambassador of music and art in the Emirates, a place where there is hope for a better world, without wars, and without terrorism in a magical place that has only joy, and human love,” added Adam. “I have always known that songs, music and joy bring people closer and I feel like I represent each and every one of you here when I say to my hosts, ' shalom and salaam aleichem.'”