Hassidic Man ousted from Air Canada flight for Davening {whilst Praying}

[HadassahSukkot]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2006/09/05/qc-hasidicprayeronplane.html

Some fellow passengers are questioning why an Orthodox Jewish man was removed from an Air Canada Jazz flight in Montreal last week for praying.
The man was a passenger on a Sept. 1 flight from Montreal to New York City when the incident happened.
The airplane was heading towards the runway at the Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport when eyewitnesses said the Orthodox man began to pray.
"He was clearly a Hasidic Jew," said Yves Faguy, a passenger seated nearby. "He had some sort of cover over his head. He was reading from a book.
"He wasn't exactly praying out loud but he was lurching back and forth," Faguy added.
The action didn't seem to bother anyone, Faguy said, but a flight attendant approached the man and told him his praying was making other passengers nervous....


We won't even talk about my temper on hearing this one.. :doh:
And if they think for once I won't be praying on my flights (Thank G-d I am NOT flying Air Canada!) there's gotta be nutz in their head.

[plum]

oh boy....

well, ignorance breeds fear.

[Wags]

Oh brother! :sigh:

FYI - He was booted because he was shokeling while davening. (davening and praying being the same thing)

[Sephania]

I guess the airlines wanted the passengers to trust in their abilities and not look to a higher authority to do so.

I guess flying doesn't make anyone nervous, only someone praying?

I guess they better find another way for travel of nuns, priests or any Catholics that may cross themselves before take- off.

This is clearly religious discrimination, but I dont' see it that way, it is just one more sign pointing to the end.

[visionary]

If you allow all sort of manners of prayers then the Muslims will be filling the isles of the airplane with prayer rugs and prostrating themselves... Now that visual would make me nervous.

[Wags]

If you allow all sort of manners of prayers then the Muslims will be filling the isles of the airplane with prayer rugs and prostrating themselves... Now that visual would make me nervous.


I've been on more than one flight that has happened on! But since it was pre-9/11 no one said anything about it.

[plum]

maybe I'm just used to people expressing their prayers in public or wherever. We had kids in school who would take their prayer rugs into another hall to pray, especially during Ramadan. I am simply used to a multicultural, multi-religious experience.

It doesn't scare me to see people express their religion this way. No, I don't want anyone to pray to another deity, but I think that if one religious man can pray on a plane, others can too. As long as it does not cause harm, lack of safety, or force others to be involved.

i read this a looong time ago it seems... but i finally found it again! it's my favourite story about plane minyans :)
http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=578&o=118746

an article with another idea/opinion
http://ohr.edu/yhiy/article.php/1683

i realize this isn't about minyans, but it reminded me of them :)

[plum]

If you allow all sort of manners of prayers then the Muslims will be filling the isles of the airplane with prayer rugs and prostrating themselves... Now that visual would make me nervous.

actually that would be a safety hazard and would not be allowed.
however, this man by praying alone, was harming no one, getting in no one's way, and was quiet and secluded.

[P_G]

Sigh

the fear of ignorance knows no boundries

one of the fondest memories in my life was being asked to join in davining with a group of Hassidic men as we sat shiva for my friends daughter.

I knew nothing of being messianic at that time I just knew that they knew I was a Christian and it didn't matter that I was invited to pray with them. And that day I was taught something that I carry with me to this day.

The one Rabbi that was there took a moment to help me with the siddur that I had been handed. Who knew they went from back to front? And he smiled at me and he said "It is a mitzvah to pray in Hebrew even if you do not understand all the words" What a sweet thing to say he knew I felt out of place and he wanted me to share that blessing.

Maybe the Air Canada people should have joined the Hassidic man and prayed with him. I think they need a blessing too.

PG

[Wags]

Eirene - what a great story about the minyan on the plane. Thanks so much for the link!

[stone]

one of the fondest memories in my life was being asked to join in davining with a group of Hassidic men as we sat shiva for my friends daughter.

I knew nothing of being messianic at that time I just knew that they knew I was a Christian and it didn't matter that I was invited to pray with them. And that day I was taught something that I carry with me to this day.

The one Rabbi that was there took a moment to help me with the siddur that I had been handed. Who knew they went from back to front? And he smiled at me and he said "It is a mitzvah to pray in Hebrew even if you do not understand all the words" What a sweet thing to say he knew I felt out of place and he wanted me to share that blessing.



PG


wow! this sounds like a really cool experience! :cool:

[SpiritPsalmist]

That was such a delightful story on the AskMoses site. :clap: