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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31. #12 Not true what you write
A ,   Belgium   (09.25.14)
Last time I went to Israel I flew Brussels Airlines and there were quite a few ultra-religious on the flight. They can order glatt kosher meals in advance. It seems they only make problems on El Al.
32. #25 It may be that Polakniak is suffering from a severe
A ,   Belgium   (09.25.14)
inferiority complex stemming from his possible incestuos origins in rural Poland.
33. Ban them from all buses and planes
Dan   (09.26.14)
If they refuse to sit next to women they should not board planes and then hold everyone to ransom. This is a form of extortion or terrorism.
34. Embarrassing
Sammi Blanchard ,   Bella Vista, USA   (09.26.14)
It is so unfortunate that the writer used 'isle' instead of 'aisle.' Please be more careful. Very distracting.
35. El Al Delay
nikki tanzer ,   san antonio USA   (09.26.14)
El Al should have left the Ultra Orthodox Jewish men and not delayed the flight. The passengers suffered for their extremism. I am Jewish. The Ultra Orthodox can do whatever they want but when their beliefs interrupt and interfere with those of us that are not extreme, it's time to say enough is enough. If I were on that flight and delayed 11 hours I would demand my money back or a free flight another time. Very unprofessional for El Al to make all the other passengers suffer.
36. Pinehead @ 25 -
split ,   US   (09.25.14)
I had them for neighbors for over 8 years in Kew Gardens, NYC ,... Imagine 3.5 million of them in medium size European country - Lucky Poles ,... Keep referring ,...
37. By the way #25 ,...
split ,   US   (09.26.14)
Did you blow your 'shofar' today or you wish? ;) ,...
38. Same on my flight
Bobby   (09.26.14)
I flew from Newark on Monday and it was the same story with the praying. I couldn't go to the bathroom and when the seatbelt sign came on they were still standing and praying. The flight attendent tried to get them to sit but they refused. It was to the point where the flight attendent was poking them to sit down and the Haredim who were sitting and finished praying were harassing the flight attendents telling them to calm down and let them pray. It was a nightmare as well. Singing, praying loudly. I couldn't enjoy my flight
39. The religious center and the sexuality center are both
Rivkah   (09.26.14)
located in the left temporal lobe of the brain. That means people who are more religious are at the same time more vulnerable to falling morally and must find ways to protect their virtue, even extreme methods like not sitting next to women. That is why Rabbi's and Pastors and Priests are dangerous if the profoundly activated religious center of the brain switches to the sexuality center of the brain by a short circuit or lack of vigilance against that happening by putting oneself into compromising situations like going to a bar or drinking alcohol or using hallucinogenic drugs or looking at pornography or being near tempting women who do not dress modestly or watching scantily clad women like the photos often posted on YNET ads.
40. If they won't sit down, as required,
A Jerusalemite ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (09.26.14)
then remove them from the flight! They have no right to discomfort all of the other passengers.
41. not next to women
Yoel ,   Israel   (09.26.14)
This is the most outragious attatude I ever heard off, ofload these guys and let them pay for another aircraft only with Haradem- are we living in the dark ages? these are religous fanatics.El Al should not allow these people on the aircraft, if their demands are so satupid.
42. Slander and put-downs of the observant continues
Beno   (09.26.14)
This is one of Y.A.'s specialties... No I'm not a Haredi by the way, but my ancestors were, like all of our ancestors.
43.  Haredim refuse to sit next to women on El Al flight
Captain Mack ,   Miami, USA   (09.26.14)
What's wrong with the ELAl Captain?? A competent Captain would have turned around, landed, thrown off, and had arrested the troublemakers. Holy Men?? They are hypocrites, refusing to follow what is plainly written on their ticket stubs.
44. Keep the peace
Barbara Jimenez ,   Bradenton, Fl   (09.26.14)
In order to keep peace for all, perhaps the airline can offer a single gender flight at that time of year..?
45. Haredi men on El Al
(09.26.14)
I have only flown El Al 2 out of 12 times to Israel....Never again! Both times it was the same unbearable rudeness by these people and failure of the airline to do anything about it.
46. Air Line seating
Norman Gellman ,   Rehovot   (09.26.14)
Forcing people to change seats for their archaic view of women should not be allowed. No social contact needs to take place between people sitting in the same row. Haridim must be told to sit in their assigned seats or leave the flight. Their behavior is abhorrent to the rest of the passengers.
47. The other passengers should sue
Shaun ,   Poland   (09.26.14)
The airline and the Haredi should both be sued by the remaining passengers. Haredi - its obvious. The airline - because they should have removed the Haredi from the plane by force. As they would have done with any other passenger who would be responsible for such a delay.
48. Heredi disrupting flight
JamieDNYC ,   New York   (09.27.14)
Three options: 1)El Al should have offered the Heredi who refused to sit next to women, the option of being placed in the cargo hold! 2)They could have done a group booking, in advance so that their seating preferences could be accommodated without disrupting every other passenger on the flight 3) The pilot could have requested that the Port Authority of NY/NJ police arrest any passenger who refused to sit in their seat prior to takeoff. Failure to follow crew instructions is a serious offence. It's a Federal Crime (Section 46504 of Title 49, United States Code), a felony, which according to The U.S. Attorney's prerogative, can land you in a lot of trouble.
49. This is why as a secular, modern person, I never fly El al
Ari ,   Israel   (09.27.14)
Plus it is far more expensive than the other companies.
50. fly only on shabbat
dan ,   k"s   (09.27.14)
this is why i fly only on shabbat and other holy days.
51. Dark Ages travelers should be relegated to wooden ships
Sage of the Age ,   Israel   (09.27.14)
Dark Ages isn't Torah
52. No Woman, No Cry! No Woman No Cry!
Son of Cyrus   (09.27.14)
53. Don't sell tickets to those causing troubles
Alfredo ,   Raanana   (09.27.14)
They are so used to abusing us.and getting their way. El Al should take the names of those causing problems and refuse them tickets in the future unless they pay a fine for their abusive behavior. Let them fly with other lines and see if anyone else will put up with them. It is ABOUT TIME THEY ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE
54. Arrest fanatics and sue ElAl for non-action
Beer   (09.27.14)
55. #12
perverse   (09.27.14)
I have no idea what airlines you have flown, but I have seen haradim on airplanes on many airliners other than EL AL. From the US, I have flown Delta, United, American and Continental. From Europe I have flown on Malev, Air France, Alitalia, British Air and KLM. On all of these, I have seen hardim and not a single one would pull this type of BS. El Al needs to throw these mumzarim off the plane. If they want to fly with a mahitza, let them start Air Haradi. They would also get quite a number of passengers from the Taliban and ISIS - same mentality.
56. They should not be allowed to disrupt a
Barney ,   USA   (09.27.14)
Flight get your seating arrangements straight on the front end. Block off an area for these guys, however, if not traveling as a group tougher. A little over the top if you ask me. Plain not safe congregating in the isles. Hit some turbulence and hareidis flying everywhere
57. Arrest them all
Shimi ,   Gaithersburg, USA   (09.27.14)
Disrupting the operation of a flight is a criminal offense in the US. They should have contacted law enforcement, and taken them all off in handcuffs. No delay in departure should have been permitted. If any still didn't like it, they could be invited to deplane of their own volition...either before or after take-off. Zero sympathy. If you want to decide who you sit beside, buy your own plane.
58. Didn't happen. I was on this flight.
Daniel ,   Raanana   (09.27.14)
I am not haredi and was on this flight. It wasn't later, noisier or more unpleasant than any other of the hundred or so flights I have been on. There were a lot of haredim. There were a lot of people standing, as there always are on long flights. It seems like what someone took personally was the presence of the haredim, more than anything they actually did. It wouldn't be unusual. I did change seats with a haredi man who didn't want to sit next to a woman. He asked nicely and there wasn't a reason not to do so.
59. Haredi terror
Franz ,   Vienna/Austria   (09.28.14)
ELAL should ban all of these folks from future flights. Their behavior was simple ambarassing. Put them on a list of unwanted passengers.
60. Unacceptable and Dangerous
ChrIsty ,   Boston, US   (09.28.14)
Standing in the aisle of an airplane - and refusing to sit down - is not only rude and uncaring towards others. It's very dangerous. Any plane that has a group of people behaving like this needs to make an emergency landing and have all the offenders escorted off the plane. As long as people can get away with it, they will. The airline won't act until passengers force the issue. Let the airline know they've lost your patronage until they decide to put a stop to this.
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