Israel Matzav

Please don't fly to Israel expecting this to happen

If you're flying on a plane and the plane lands after the Sabbath starts, you're not supposed to get off the plane when it lands. If you're forced to get off, you're supposed to leave your belongings on the plane (they will likely be removed for you) and you're not allowed to leave the airport. And if you arrive at the airport and don't have the time to make it anywhere for the Sabbath, you're also not allowed to leave the airport.

Because of weather conditions in Europe, that last case is what happened to a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews who were flying from Zurich on Friday. They got stuck in Ben Gurion airport for the Sabbath. But they were much better off than most people in their situation: Zaka made preparations for them.

Approximately 80 hareidi religious Jews, including small children, left Switzerland on a flight that had been scheduled to fly in the morning but was delayed several hours.

After the plane took off and it became clear that it would not land at Ben Gurion Airport in time for the passengers to arrive at their homes before Shabbat began, ZAKA medical and rescue authorities operated by religious Jews, went into action to make arrangements for the passengers to spend Shabbat at the airport.

Working against the clock, they coordinated with the rabbis from the airport and El Al, although the flight was operated by Swiss Air. Petach Tikvah and Kfar Chabad authorities helped organize the special Shabbat, and a Bnei Brak caterer and bakery donated “challot,” special bread for the Shabbat, and food for three meals.

Petach Tikvah donated mattresses and blankets from their emergency headquarters, and the airport arranged a hall for Shabbat meals. A synagogue with Torah scrolls is located in the airport.

These people were really lucky. I had three close calls like this when I lived in the US. One time I arrived from a hurricane in Florida an hour before the Sabbath started, another time I pulled myself off a flight and spent Shabbat in St. Louis, and a third time I managed to transfer from one flight to another in Chicago (the advantages of no checked baggage) and arrived at Newark about an hour before the Sabbath started. People I know who have spent the Sabbath in airports have found it most unpleasant.

Since I made aliya, I always try to arrive back in Israel in the wee hours of Friday morning at the very latest. I don't think I've taken a flight with an arrival time after 12:00 noon on Friday. It sounds like these people took the morning flight from Zurich, which is scheduled to land in Israel about 2:40pm. That's way too close for comfort in my book, especially in the winter.

Labels: Ben Gurion Airport, Shabbat, Zurich

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:31 PM