Jewish organisations have said that Qatar has backtracked from promise of offering kosher food to visitors at the 2022 FIFA Football World Cup the Gulf country is hosting. According to The Jerusalem Post, Qatar will not allow any cooked kosher food be sold or offered to visitors. As per the report, Doha had promised to allow Jewish prayer services during the games but has backed out claiming they could not ‘secure’ this type of activity and proceeded to ban it completely.
Citing a representative of Jewish organisation, TJP reported, that they were promised they would be allowed to create their prayer space for those religious Jews who come to watch the games. About 10,000 religious Jews from Israel and around the world are expected to come to Doha during the World Cup. They were informed they would be able to cook kosher meat but are now informed that they will only be allowed cold bagel sandwiches. Kosher foods are food that conform to dietary regulations of the Jewish community. Food that are fit for consumption as per Jewish law are only permissible.
A lot of wealthy American Jews were planning to visit Doha, but now have cancelled as they do not feel secured about kosher food, Shabbat meals and no public prayer services. Jerusalem Post has reached out to Qatari Foreign Ministry for comments but have not heard back from them yet.
Earlier on Sunday, The Jerusalem Post was informed that the Jewish people will be able to buy kosher sandwiches in Qatar. In fact, opening of first ever kosher kitchen in time for the games was also announced recently. The kosher kitchen is under the supervision of Rabbi Mendy Chitrik of Istanbul, chairman of the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, and his son Rabbi Eliyahu Chitrik. This kitchen will bake bagels and other ethnically Jewish delicacies. It will sell challah for Shabbat, bagel sandwiches with hummus, vegetables and smoked salmon. However, twarm kosher food will be served to Jewish visitors in Qatar only if they come in large groups.
