“You’re going where??” That was the most frequently asked question regarding this year’s itinerary for our annual spring trip. What followed was disbelief, then why, and finally questioning our safety.
When this trip concludes, my husband (a CPA; hence the annual timing to travel) and I will have been to 98 countries. Had it not been for recent events, the number would have been 99. Alas, Kuwait was cancelled first by the airlines and then our visa application was terminated. Message received.
As much as we keep one of those obnoxious country counts (a sort of bloodsport), there’s zero interest in going to a country where kidnapping is a common occurrence. Likewise, if Jews are unwelcome and/or the country has an obvious bias against Israel, it’s out.
Even before the area became a hotbed for attacks of varying degrees, we were still questioned as to why we are going. The reasons are simple – we haven’t been and are keen to learn about the culture and daily life and not simply rely on what is reported in the media. Saudi Arabia has been on a modernization trend – particularly since 2018 when women were officially permitted to drive. Traditional garb is more of a personal choice as opposed to it being a mandate; thus, we saw women completely covered up yet others now choosing to wear business suits for their Riyadh jobs.
Under normal circumstances, Saudi Arabia would have been enormously busy with the annual Hajj when Muslims worldwide (aka pilgrims) make their way to Mecca for the holiest time of the year. There are travel packages offered for varying degrees of housing depending upon their circumstances. Much like traveling during COVID (we went to an absolutely empty Serengeti), the public spaces in Madinah (Medina) were practically empty as compared to prior years.
The irony is how safe it is in Jeddah (our main city), some 600 miles south of Riyadh. Not a single attack was launched against this bustling and modern metropolis along the Red Sea. We took the high-speed train – incredibly modern, swift, and safe – for a guided tour of Madinah. Our guide for the day, a woman who received her Ph.D. in nutrition by studying at Cal State Northridge of all places, drove us around in her SUV. That is likely not the picture many have when thinking about Saudi Arabia.
It was then time to move on to Bahrain, perched on the Arabian Sea with some very unfriendly nearby neighbors. By the time we left the U.S., the country’s airspace had reopened but we still had to fly to the nearest airport in Saudi Arabia, Damman. Once there, we were driven across the King Fahd Causeway. The immigration kiosks look more like fast-food drive-thrus than government offices with bright lights and modern architecture.
Bahrain immediately felt much more “open” than Saudi Arabia, meaning women dining in restaurants with other women and not in the company of men. We could wear shorts and sleeveless tops and there’s alcohol available in restaurants.
But clearly the highpoint of this short stay prior to our Africa safari departure was the visit to the Bahrain Synagogue, aka House of Ten Commandments. Had we not learned of it from dear friend Rabbi David Woznica, who had visited some years before, we might have missed it altogether.
It is situated in the middle of a vast souk. The synagogue was founded in the 1930s, when there were approximately 800-900 Jews in Bahrain (that’s individuals; not families!). Today there are roughly 36. Over the years, the synagogue has been renovated multiple times, most recently in 2021, when it was opened to the public for the first time in 74 years. It was then that an Ashkenazi Torah was given to the synagogue and is housed in a velvet-covered ark. It is inscribed: “In honor of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for his vision, courage, and leadership in bringing peace, respect, and religious tolerance to the Middle East. June 25, 2019, Jared Kushner.”
Both countries are safe and have much to offer westerners. Thus, there’s little reason to exclude them from your travel “to-do” lists.
Teri Bialosky is a Los Angeles native and avid traveler/writer/blogger/planner.
