In the News

The Khaleej Times By Rabbi Marc Schneier January 28, 2021 The ties encourage friendship between the Jews and Muslims Western media accounts over the past several weeks have conveyed a sense of befuddled amazement as to how quickly the signing of the Abrahamic Accords last August led to the implementation of ‘a warm peace’ between the UAE and Israel. Since the inception of direct flights between Tel Aviv and the UAE in November 2020, an estimated 50,000 Israelis have visited the UAE....

The Jerusalem Post By Rabbi Marc Schneier January 13, 2021 The ramifications of the “against all odds” electoral victories for Warnock and Ossoff – who ran as a team, proudly touting their Black and Jewish identities – are profound. As a longtime advocate for strengthening the historic Black-Jewish alliance that helped to end segregation and secure voting rights for African-Americans during the 1960s, I am ecstatic to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2021 in the wake of the twin election victories...

Christian Broadcasting Network By Julie Stahl January 5, 2020 There’s been another breakthrough in Middle East peace brokered by the Trump administration. Gulf leaders signed a “solidarity and stability” pact in Saudi Arabia at the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit on Tuesday. White House Senior Advisor Jared Kushner was there for the ceremony and is credited with having helped negotiate the deal. Saudi Arabia announced on Monday the reopening of airspace and land and sea borders with Qatar...

The Jerusalem Post January 5, 2021 Israel has been increasingly engaged in the Gulf in recent years. The US announced on Monday that Saudi Arabia agreed to lift its boycott on Qatar. The Trump administration expects the Saudis’ move to reopen their borders and airspace to Qataris will lead to a broader agreement, in which the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt will also end their boycott on Doha that began in June 2017, with accusations that Qatar supported terrorism and extremism. Israel has been increasingly...

The Jerusalem Post By Seth J. Frantzman January 4, 2021 Kuwait has long been neutral in the confrontation in the Gulf. Riyadh led a group of states, including the UAE and Egypt to break relations with Qatar. In a major developing story in the region the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Qatar appear to be nearing a deal that could put the Gulf crisis of 2017 behind them. The report circulating in Kuwait and then later throughout the region’s media says that Saudi Arabia is set to reopen its airspace and...

Arabian Business January 2, 2021 Bahrain is home to the only indigenous Jewish population in the Gulf region The New York City-based Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU) has partnered with a pair of Bahraini tourism firms to launch what is being billed as the first North American-Jewish tourism initiative to the Gulf kingdom. Founded in 1989 by Rabbi Marc Schneier, the non-profit FFEU has the stated mission of improving relations between Jews and Muslims, as well as Jews and African-Americans. In...

The Jerusalem Post By Seth J. Frantzman December 31, 2020 The rapid change since the Abraham Accords began in August has led to one of the fastest growing global relationships between countries. A dozen experts have predicted a wide range of increasing partnerships and connections between Israel and Gulf countries in the new year. This will cover a spectrum of activity from technology to academic and political developments. The rapid change since the Abraham Accords began in August has led to one...

Middle East Forum December 31, 2020 A dozen experts have predicted a wide range of increasing partnerships and connections between Israel and Gulf countries in the new year. This will cover a spectrum of activity from technology to academic and political developments. The rapid change since the Abraham Accords began in August has led to one of the fastest growing global relationships between countries. Houda Nonoo, former Ambassador of Bahrain to the United States, said that 2021 will be even more...

The Jerusalem Post By Yonah Jeremy Bob December 29, 2020 Close coordination between Israel and Qatar to facilitate sufficient funding for Hamas to keep Gaza’s economy from collapsing will likely be the key to moving Doha to a normalization deal. Relationships developed between Israel and Qatar to provide sufficient funding to Hamas and avoid an economic collapse and war in the Gaza Strip could be the engine for normalization between Jerusalem and Doha, The Jerusalem Post has learned. Pressed that...

Jewish News Syndicate December 20, 2020 The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding (FFEU) launched the first North American-Jewish tourism initiative to Bahrain in partnership with Best of Bahrain and Da’at Travel, who will facilitate the itineraries for large groups and individual travelers. The new initiative is spearheaded by FFEU President Rabbi Marc Schneier following an invitation from King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain to bring more Jewish tourists to the Kingdom. Following the Abraham...