Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President-elect Donald Trump, pledged on Monday that he and his wife, Ivanka Trump, would donate $1 million to Chabad of the United Arab Emirates in the wake of the killing of Rabbi Zvi Kogan.
Kushner, who was one of the architects of the 2020 Abraham Accords that established relations between Israel and the UAE, said the Emirates is committed to fostering harmony between Jews and Muslims.
“In the UAE, people of all faiths and backgrounds thrive together in an environment of mutual understanding and respect,” Kushner wrote. “Ivanka and I will be donating $1 million to the Chabad of UAE and will redouble our efforts to work with the Jewish community and the country’s leadership to build a resilient, vibrant Jewish community in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.”
“To all who wish to aggravate these historic divides, know that your efforts only strengthen the resolve of the Jewish community to contribute to societies that respect and welcome us,” he added. “History has shown that those who embrace the Jewish people benefit, and those who persecute the Jewish people ultimately face spectacular defeat.”
Kushner’s brother Joshua announced that he and his wife, the fashion model Karlie Kloss, would match Jared and Ivanka’s $1 million pledge.
The Emirati police have arrested three Uzbek nationals suspected of murdering Kogan, a Moldovan-Israeli dual national living in Dubai as an emissary of Chabad, one of the largest religious Jewish organizations in the world, with branches in scores of countries.
Kogan went missing on Thursday, and his body was discovered in the Emirati city of Al Ain near the UAE-Oman border on Sunday. Iran has denied any involvement in the incident amid suspicion that the Islamic Republic might have orchestrated the killing.
A fund for Kogan’s widow Rivky seeks to raise $1 million. At press time, it has raised almost $700,000.
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