Friday, September 03, 2004

Praying on a high

El Al has issued a booklet explaining why religious passengers should pray in their seats rather than congregate in a minyan in the aisles or at the back, potentially disturbing other passengers.
"There is no sin involved in the action of sitting," said the "Handbook for Observant El Al passengers". The "rules", by prominent rabbis, are written in both Hebrew and English.
"It is important to avoid praying in large gatherings and it is preferable to pray in small groups in one's seat, on the condition that there is no exposure of nakedness in that area," one rabbi wrote, referring to immodestly dressed passengers.
Apparently El Al did a terrific job of getting people to pray in their seats last Sunday -- when a London-bound flight lost an engine and the pilot had to make an emergency landing in Ben Gurion. Great start.

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