Renee Rabinowitz, a retired lawyer with a Ph.D. in educational psychology who lives in Jerusalem, has finally had enough with having to deal with sexist rules imposed by Orthodox men. The 81-year-old woman has filed a discrimination lawsuit against Israeli airline El Al after she was allegedly forced to move seats after an Ultra-Orthodox man complained about having to sit next to a woman. As have previously discussed such cases where religious men have forced delays and movement of women without penalty from El Al — requiring everyone else to accommodate their extreme religious views. Even Delta airlines did nothing after ultra orthodox men prevented a flight from taking off until women were moved from the seats that they rightfully purchased.
What is astonishing is that airlines now routinely call police or escort people off planes for disrupting flights. However, if you do so in the name of religious orthodoxy, you are not only not removed but you are allowed to delay the flight until other passengers relent.
To her credit, Rabinowitz is not relenting. She was seated in business class on a flight from Newark to Tel Aviv in December when the man sitting in the window seat objected that she could not sit next to him. Instead, of El Al telling the man that he would have to move or leave the flight, the flight attendant pressured Rabinowitz, who walks with a cane, to take another different seat.
Israel Religious Action Center says that El Al routinely yields to the sexist demands of Ultra-Orthodox men. Rabinowitz escaped the Nazis in World War II, but say that she now faces constant discrimination as a woman.
What is interesting is that some Muslim airlines have been rightfully forced to cancel flights due to their discrimination against Israelis. However, El Al has been accused of discriminating against women when ultra Orthodox men demand that they be moved. Even holding flights as these women are pressured publicly to surrender their seats is unreasonable and abusive. Obviously, these men have the option to travel with other men and purchase seats together. Or, and here is a novel idea, they can refrain from flying. Those seem better options than to have female passengers on El Al worry whether they will be pressured to move to accommodate an extreme religious practice. Rabinowitz is someone who has overcome much in her life. Indeed, she is the very face of the strength and brilliance of the founding generation of Israel. She should have to move for no one.
I have no problem with the airline asking if any passengers would consider moving. I often give up my seat so couples can sit together. Indeed, I expect a woman in coach would be willing to take the business class seat of this man to allow him to sit next to a fellow man. Yet, many women would rightfully have qualms about surrendering their seat to facilitate a sexist and insulting practice. After making the inquiry once, the man has to accept modern life or get off the plane. That seems a reasonable approach that continually escapes El Al, which has been repeatedly criticized for its treatment of women.
Source: Gothamist
Ralph Adamo,
I’ll quote the exact vs. from the Talmud later. The Talmud is the most hate filled book extant, and the most racist:
Anyone reading this, go ahead and Google it. From the Talmud: “Even the best of the gentiles deserve only death.”
The Rabbis do not even deny this verse. In fact, they defend and rationalize it.
Dieter: I stayed in Amsterdam on several occasions and enjoyed it very much. A tolerant place. The hookers were tolerant too.
@Riesling and NickS
Thanks! I am glad you are enjoying this stuff.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Riesling and Squeek, Love your humor.
Squeeky: LOL😂
My religion requires that I be upgraded to first-class from coach.
@Dieter Heymann
Try google sometimes. Plus, I gave you another link above.
https://books.google.com/books?id=A-VEAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA60&lpg=PA60&dq=shikselke&source=bl&ots=XNejkaNXb1&sig=MWdyhx495jZdIdptARdiWaia7ds&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjrwOS1vaDLAhVE8CYKHdM4DPoQ6AEITTAG#v=onepage&q=shikselke&f=false
On another topic, how is your diet going??? I don’t need to lose any weight, but I have switched off the starchy carbs, like potatoes, rice, pasta, and grains, whole or otherwise. Which one are you on???
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
I grew up in Amsterdam the Netherlands at a time when some 10% of its residents were Jews or were of Jewish ancestry. I never encountered the word “shikselke” which is probably misspelled and, like “bubele”, should be “shiksele”. I think it is an invention of Squeeky. The word “shiksa” or “shikse” was mostly used by the recent German immigrants. It was also frequently used by Dutch comedians for “a woman who is a pain in the butt” or a woman in an extra marital affair who is, however, not a prostitute. Gentile Dutch males used “shikse” to express their admiration for what they considered to be a sexually very attractive woman. The only word used by both Jews and Gentiles for prostitute was “temije”.
@riesling
Sadly, there are some guys who would “pay extra” to sit next to a huge vodka-swilling, up all night smoking, hasn’t had a shower or a change of clothes Russian man. Because I swear I have seen ISO’s for that exact thing on Craigslist.
🙂
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
I wish the airlines would cater to my religion which forbids me from sitting next to a huge vodka-swilling, up all night smoking, hasn’t had a shower or a change of clothes Russian man.
Karen
Well said.
Good for her.
The airlines should stop catering to such demands. If your religion is so restrictive that you cannot sit next to someone of the opposite sex, then, clearly, public transportation is not for you. You should charter your own plane or ship, because the entire public transportation should not accommodate you.
I don’t care if you worship a purple cotton ball called BOB, as long as it doesn’t affect me.