By COLlive reporter
The video of a group of observant Jews sharing a joyous and friendly dance together with peaceful Arabs in the Persian Gulf island Muslim nation of Bahrain drew the ire of a terrorist group.
The Hamas terror organization, responsible for the murder of many Jews, said the harmonious all-kosher pre-Chanukah party was a “shameful spectacle.”
“Surprisingly,” they wrote in a statement, “a group of dignitaries and merchants in the State of Bahrain hosted a racist and extremist delegation of Zionists and they openly dance with Jews in a shameful scene.”
The dance around the Menorah was one of the highlights of a private trip of a group of American Jews to Bahrain and Dubai last week. It was organized by businessman Leizer Scheiner of Monsey, NY.
Twice a year for the past few years, members of the group travel to locations around the world, visiting gravesites of Tzaddikim and strengthening small Jewish communities.
In the past they have visited a previously unknown Jewish community in the remote city of Belmont, Portugal, as well as Morocco and Uman in Ukraine.
The trip began in Dubai, where a population of some 1,000 Jewish expats live and work.
In Dubai, they met with the Jewish community and influential members of the community at large, and made plans for opening a Shul and a Kollel.
The group then traveled to the country of Bahrain, where they davened in a 500 year old shul and visited the Jewish cemetery, where they recited Kaddish.
Later, the group of businessmen met with the leaders of the Bahrain community, to discuss how to strengthen the Jewish community there and how to encourage Jewish survival and Jewish life.
The group was hosted in a palatial home belonging to a wealthy local resident whose name was not disclosed out of fear for his safety.
“He allowed them to kosher the kitchen in the palace and he invited the group to a dinner party which was joined by many of his friends,” a person said.
“The trip was an amazing Kiddush Hashem and life-altering experience,” said Rabbi Pinson. “Walking through these Arab countries, wearing a Yarmulka and Tzitzis, we felt proud to be Jewish, and the locals were very accommodating and welcoming.
“We saw that when Jewish people have Gaon Yaakov and are proud and happy to be Jewish, we can have a great influence on the world and we can be a light unto the nations,” Rabbi Pinson said.
I guess that finally puts to sleep Hammas’ claim that they’re anti Israel – not anti-Semetic.