Jewish Scene
Haredim refuse to sit next to women on El Al flight, causing '11-hour-nightmare'
Itay Blumenthal
Published: 25.09.14, 14:02
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1. Unacceptable behavior
Steve ,   Israel   (09.25.14)
Any other airline would not stand for their behavior , they would have been taken off the flight So El Al should act Kick them off the plane
2. You haven't see nothing yet ,...
split ,   US   (09.25.14)
Wait when they become a majority ,...
3. Today is Rosh Hashana...I find it incredible how
Al   (09.25.14)
some have descended into the abyss of the lunatic world. These impostors are indeed mad lunatics. I suspect it has all to do with the fact they marry their first cousins. Complete freaks. Happy New Year to all.
4. Air Haredi: Serving Kosher Kol Yisrael
ASTRONAUT ,   USA   (09.25.14)
El Al has been flying us back and forth to Eretz for how many decades now; still the Haredim, KNOWING for 50+ years that Israel is a poly-Jewish state, that their flights WILL comprise a polyglot of Jews – from Reform to the most Orthodox – and, these gantzer machers still cause a scene! Haredim: establish your OWN flight school, train HAREDI-MALE pilots and MALE flight attendants, and fly your OWN carriers to Eretz Yisrael. Whether we sport payiss or are clean - shaven, we Jews are in the same boat for this cruise called L.I.F.E. Shalom v' Shanah Tovah!
5. Haredi Men
Robert S Levine ,   Las Terrenas.DR.   (09.25.14)
Tell the Haredi men to fly a Muslim airline in the future.
6. slowly and surely
Raptor   (09.25.14)
They will increase in number at which time Israel will be a classic case of the lunatics running the asylum. Israel will be regarded as a funny farm just as the extreme regimes such as Iran are regarded today. We will become a Pariah state.
7. REMOVE the Passengers
Daniel ,   World traveler   (09.25.14)
Any other airline in the world would tell the people causing the problem to sit in their assigned seats or face removal from the plane. It is a pity that passengers on this flight were able to take over control of the plane in this way without facing consequences. This is why I will never willingly fly El Al.
8. Typical. stereotypes exist.
Don't pay retail   (09.25.14)
9. on a count of 1 to 10
arne ,   chicago usa   (09.25.14)
with 10 being the worst, I would give the haredim a 25--they make me sick and ashamed--they should have been taken off the plane.I can just imagine what the other passengers were thinking while this was going on--
10. These are NOT Torah observant Jews
Deborah   (09.25.14)
There's nothing in Torah that says a male cannot sit next to a female who is not his wife. This is just over the top distortion. If they really wanted to keep Torah they wouldn't sit on ANY public seat as a female in the state of her impurity might have just sat there & the seat would be unclean. They would need a private jet for men only.
11. it takes two to tango
Plexpr ,   France   (09.25.14)
Both, then, are to blame, the woman was stubborn as well. religious jews will preserve judaism, seculars are vanishing. just look at the jewish marriage statistics in the US/Canada and South America. The Jewish US population is 5.3 million, 2,650,000 are married Jews , 70% are intermarried .
12. El Al LY
(09.25.14)
El Al is kosher airlines. It's the only airline which serves kosher lemehadrin, doesn't fly on Shabbat and has a magen David printed on its planes. It also, at times, play the jewish travel blessing. Therefore, Haredim can only use El Al and no other airlines. El Al should declare that it's officialy a haredi airlines and seculars are welcome to use all other airlines.
13. If these people are Jews
Sagi   (09.25.14)
then I am happy to openly declare that I am an anti Semite.
14. put the harideem in cargo where they belong
Nancy   (09.25.14)
Once again making trouble. They want to learn to behave like human beings
15. If they feel that strongly about it ...
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (09.25.14)
... they should charter a private flight. They should have been thrown off the plane. No refunds, either.
16. # 6 - 'such as Iran are regarded today' ,...
split ,   USA   (09.25.14)
By whom else except brainwashed zionist pinheads? ,...
17. God have a peculiar sense of humor ,...
split ,   US   (09.25.14)
Our Creator have a peculiar sense of humor (if you believe in fairytales) ,... First He gave the chosen ones a tiny piece of waste land then he added a bunch of black wrapped freaks ,...
18. Haredi won't fly with women
David ,   Boston, MA   (09.25.14)
let them set up their own airline.
19. ultra-orthodox refusing to sit next to women
AK Hiker ,   Juneau AK   (09.25.14)
Simple solution-make adequate preparations for your travel like everyone else does. Book in advance and buy your seats so no one else can sit in your row, even if it means buying an extra seat. If you feel it is so wrong to sit next to a woman, you should have no problem buying that seat as a religious expense or traveling in a group of men. There is no reason on earth a woman and others who did plan their travel and paid for their seat should have to move to accommodate someone who didn't plan properly.
20. #2 Good point, Polakniak, the ultra orthodox
A ,   Belgium   (09.25.14)
should fly LOT Polish Airlines, as long as they don't mind pushing the plane down the runway and spinning the propellors.
21. Split's sight needs correcting
Claude ,   Cape Town and UK   (09.25.14)
To be pedantic, you should have said, ""you have not seen anything yet" It should be possible when pre selecting a seat after making a reservation to identify seats where only Haredim are being seated. Marked HM or HF taken by Haredi male/female. Of course it should be made explicity clear to those making a reservation that specific seat requests cannot be guaranteed. A big problem is passengers behaving unsocially on flights, trains and buses, try a London bus in rush hour, makes you wonder what ever happened to respectful manners. Maybe a little email reminder to all booked passengers about what is expected and what will not be tolerated.
22. All women: Just SING b4 take-off until Haredim get off!!!
Israeli-American Jew ,   Israel   (09.25.14)
23. fools
Jennifer Juniper   (09.25.14)
Any woman who agrees to live in the world of the haredim is a fool
24. El Al Should Add Haredi Section
Aharon   (09.25.14)
El Al should add a Haredi Section, like business and economy so all the Haredim can sit together and have room to pray without disturbing the other passengers. I've never been on an El Al flight where there isn't a request to change seats.
25. You know what I find curious?
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (09.25.14)
That a non-Jew rabid anti-Semite and hater of Israel should have so much to say about a subject that does not concern him in the least. I am, of course, referring to Wes Sesniak, a/k/a Split. He trolls all manner of Israeli and Jewish websites obsessively, commenting at length on topics of which he knows NOTHING. Weird, to say the least. Psychotic, to say a bit more.
26. next time
gays4israel ,   toronto   (09.25.14)
my bf and I travel to Israel, I will make sure we sit beside some of them. should be interesting !
27. make them pay for a man only flight
ester ,   australia   (09.25.14)
El Al is stupid... Make a flight or a section of the flight only for men. Charge more. You will see how they will be quiet. If not take them from the fligh as a disruption passenger.
28. El Al lost me in 1992
Jon S. ,   Virginia, USA   (09.25.14)
I was minding my own business watching the movie that El Al itself provided and I had paid for. A Haredi moved right in front of me to daven. I said, "Excuse me - please don't block the movie." I will never forget the look he gave me - one of utter and total disdain before he turned back to his prayers. When a flight attendant walked by, I asked for assistance. I will never forget that response, either, provided less disdainfully but equally stunningly: "Do you realize how much of our clientele are ultra-orthodox?" I replied, "OK, I hope you profit as believe you are because you just lost me." Sure enough, I've never used El Al again and never will. Perhaps more importantly, I tell this story to anyone, fellow Jew or not, who tells me he or she is flying to Israel. For a fact, I've dissuaded many family and friends from using El Al. It's a shame, really, to be shifting profits from an Israeli airline to an American or British one. But one shanda deserves another.
29. love them anyway
erin ,   USA(hug)Israel   (09.26.14)
30. Haredi Mayhem
Gershon   (09.26.14)
Security should have kicked these Jewish Taliban off the flight. If they want segregated inflight seating let these medieval through backs start their own airline.
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