Passengers on a flight from New York to Tel Aviv were put through what one passenger described as “an 11-hour long nightmare” on El Al after ultra-orthodox passengers refused to sit near women and demanded segregation of the sexes in line with their religion. The men in black hats and curly tendrils refused to take their previously selected seats for take off. They then jumped out of their seats and stood in the aisle protesting that women were near them . . . for 11 hours.
The El Al flight on Rosh Hashanah was described as an “11-hour nightmare” as the men continued to try to convince a planeload of people to relocate into segregated zones, even offering money to some to self-segregate. One woman was asked to move from the seat next to her husband.
The men continued to complain loudly and pray in the aisle for the flight, making it impossible for some passengers to use the rest rooms, according to media reports. At least the men did not add the Kapparot to the prayers.
The response (or lack thereof) by El-Al stands in sharp contrast to past cases of disruptions. Indeed, we have often been critical of how passengers are routinely tossed off flights for the slightest acts from telling jokes to wearing objectionable tee-shirts to notebook doodles to challenging a pilot’s sobriety to disagreeing with flight attendants to negative tweets. Muslims have long objected that they have been removed from flights for speaking Arabic, dressing in Muslim garb, or for unknown reasons. However, another airline actually threw off a Jewish boy who was praying on a flight. Yet, this incident did not result in any action taken by El-Al to the chagrin of the other passengers.
What is particularly bizarre is that these men selected their seats and knew that this was not a segregated flight. There is such a thing as chartered flights. Otherwise, you cannot force the rest of the world to comply with your extreme religious views.
Source: Washington Post
Didn’t they a movie about this called “Jews on a Plane?”
Dang it…now I am trying to tell the ownership how to run their place. At least by implication. Like Prof Jacobson’s place, it is just easier and more courteous of me to depart.
Nick…I agree about the tip matter, if they will tell us what the spam cues are….Db’s always have triggers and if I know them I can avoid them. After the time I spent working of Db’s I am weary of errors that are older than GHW Bush.
Darren…thank you very much, but this spam filter crud really needs to be fixed. What specifically are the cues it looks for? And why?
It always cracks me up when luddites (of any religion) want to benefit from modern technology while pretending we live in the dark ages. The next trip back to the homeland should be accomplished via ox cart and ships woven from reeds.
Aridog, We need a tip jar for Darren. I would drop in $10 bills.
Squeeky, The official story is they left because of differences w/ JT about how this blog is run. You have some frame of reference, having been here during the DNC mouthpiece era. They thought they ran this place, and they did for all intents and purposes. JT took the blog back, and it’s said they took their balls and went home. What happened matters little to me. The fact that this place is no longer a DNC echo chamber is all that matters to me. I think the DNC contingent had a few problems w/ me. LOL.
BTW…Maxcat06’s “WordPress” blog did not have a problem with the same comment dropped here 5 times.
DBQ – that reminds me of the Weather Underground, which started out as an idealist student group and ended up as extremist terrorism.
@NickS
What actually happened on January 14??? I know some of the DNC mouthpieces, and other nasty prima donnas went away, but what actually happened???
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Dang it…it posts that last remark, but not the main response. I’d really like someone to explain to me what was it about the response to Maxcat06 that caused the filter to dump it? This place is getting to be like Proj Jacobson’s place, that eats comments of even registered paying commenters.
PS: Maxcat06…I posted my remark on your blog.
I quit…that’s 5 totally innocuous posts eaten.
It’s frustrating as hell, Aridog. Darren does more than his share. Weekend Bloggers other than Darren used to help some. Those days are apparently over.
I quit…the WordPress POS is just that. Nothing in my disappeared comments required any spam filtering or other interruption. JT needs to get someone who really works with and knows WordPress to intervene. This place has reached the level of Prof. Jacobson’s LI blog for dropping comments that are innocuous and that’s saying something. LI regularly blocked me as “spam” even though I was a registered, paying subscriber, crappy design gives crappy results. Database 101 …
We need a flop rule here. This place is becoming a never ending litany of whining, complaining, flopping like you were hit. Look back @ some of the lengthy threads prior to January 2014 and be thankful @ how civil it is now. Or, as my old man would say, “Buck up, buttercup.”
Testing 1,2,3….anyone recording anything? 🙁
Help…my response to Maxcat06 vis vis Satanist got swallowed by the Grinch monster.
Maxcat06…vis a vis “Satanists” in public spaces. Not sure how they qualify as a “religion” officially (tax standing, organization, etc.) but otherwise I’d say, yes, so long as they do not interfere with other religious groups doing the same thing in the same space. It is prejudicial interference that I object to no matter who does it.
Beyond all that, I’d object to any religious display (or political display) that obstructs the safe passage ways on an airliner or other public conveyance, or public space, period…no exceptions for religion, including mine.
Airdog, I retrieved your comment at 4:02.
Aridog – I have gotten so frustrated that I have emailed JT asking him to free up my comments. Now, I hope, sometimes against hope, that someone will free it for me. 🙂 Depends who is on.
Maxcat06….I agree with you. You are projecting far more than the comment deserved. Frankly, dragging Lobby Hobby in to this discussion is childish per se, so one begets another I’d say. I followed the thread again after you cited the comments prior to the “insult” and notice that the original insult, intellectually, was by the commenter who introduced Hobby Lobby in to the thread…and I think that spurred the reaction. Which was not directed at you, by the way, unless I missed something. Either way, we are all entitled to our opinions. Feel free to call me childish, I’ve been called much worse.
Yesterday, the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the elect from the local Chabad Center dutifully walked to services since they are prohibited from driving. Around noon I saw an enterprising older gentleman, successfully skirt this prohibited activity, as he whizzed by on his electric wheelchair. Laughter ensued.