Los Angeles, CA – Three men praying on an arriving Alaska Airlines flight sparked security concerns on the plane and at Los Angeles International Airport, but authorities say there was no threat and no arrests were made.
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Airline spokeswoman Bobbie Egan says flight attendants on Flight 241 from Mexico City became alarmed Sunday morning after the three passengers began an elaborate orthodox Jewish prayer ritual, which involves tying leather straps and small wooden boxes to the body.
The pilots locked down the cockpit and FBI and customs agents, along with police and fire crews, met the plane at the gate.
LAX police say two or three men were escorted off the plane, briefly questioned by the FBI, and released. There were no arrests.
Omg I’m sure they have seen an elaborate prayer ritual before…
Uhm, and how long will it take until all of airport security will ‘know’ that we do the Tefillin thingy?
Does the same security process occur when a rosary or prayer rug is used on a plane?
Why must they have done this ON the plane?
Airport personnel AND the FBI need a lesson on Jewish prayers and about Tefillin. This is crazy. Again, they are suspicious of innocent Jews wearing Tefillin!
We really need to get our acts together- stewardess- I am going to pray now. It looks a bit funny but please don’t be concerned. It’s just the way jewish people pray!
By the way it aint wooden boxes, its from leather.
I flew in January from Frankfurt to Heathrow in the morning and i explained to the stewaddress that i will be praying and putting on my tefillin.I explained her what it was and she said she will check with the pilot and advise me..She came back and told me that the pilot said its ok,he is aware of our religion …If anyone needs to daven while flying it will be best to discuss it with the crew and avoid agmes nefesh…
hey bubi 11 – u obviously don’t put on Tefilin ‘cuz ur not in Rome.
Here’s what I don’t get with all these tefillin incidents: I know it looks scary and foreign to those not in the know, but seriously, if the guy was going to blow himself up, why would he wrap himself in visible wires arousing suspicion and then sit around for 20 or so minutes without detonating? Makes no sense to think tefillin is a dangerous weapon.
Where are our askonim? Why aren’t Levi Shemtov and Chaim Dovid Zweibel dealing with the TSA on this?
I flew out of LAX about a month ago and due to an early flight, I davened in the airport. The staff was totally cool with it, I just asked if there was an out of the way spot to use, and they told me anywhere was fine and that they see people do it all the time. Another man got there late and davened on the plane. Again, he asked about it and was told it was fine. It seems to be, based on this and other experiences that most places, especially places like LA with a sizable Jewish community, know what we are doing already and have seen it before. There really was no cause for panic and I am unsure why this crew got so freaked out.
reminds me of a joke, which is also a true story
Poilishe Yid makes it to Australia after the war, and tries and fails to communicate with conductor on a bus regarding the fare. Another Yid asks him” Why dont you learn English?” He says,” Zol ehr zich oislernen Yiddish”.
If the seat-belt sign is on, than getting up to daven is simply assur no matter what the z’man is. Its nice to be able to daven at the right time but absolutly a chilul hashem to do what these ehrleche yiddin did on this flight without seeking approval from the flight attendants.
This is not the first time this has happened and it would have saved everyone a whole lot of grief had they spoken to the stewardess in advance about davening on the plane. I am sure it would have been ok…or did they just want to get an escort off the plane?
As for #3, I have seen the shikas doing the rosy bead thing sitting on the subway, unless you are sitting opposite them (and have nothing else to do other than look around), it’s barely noticeable.
Maybe letting the crew know that you are about to doven isn’t a bad idea, but I don’t find it necessary. I have dovened on many airplanes belonging to many different countries’ airlines, and in many airports on four continents, and never “warned” anyone about my sinister intentions, and never encountered any problems with any security or crew or passengers or passers by, except for few unduly curious fellow passengers who asked me what these (tfillin) are after I put them away. Can’t explain to a goy what tfillin are, I just tell them they are necessary.
how can you possibly know what someone else ,who you know only basically anonymously,is well aware of?
This is the lesson from the Megillah. That one has to be proud of his Jewishness, even if he is in the presence of goyim. Even if he is in a place of anti-semites who are looking to do us harm. Even if those in government positions agree to the anti-semites plan.
So yes, Tefillin should be put on openly and proudly. When I am on a plane or in the airport, I publicly put on my Talis and Tefillin for everyone to see.
The gemoroh says, “the nations of the world will see, and they will fear you, this refers to the Tefillin that one puts on his head”.
Mordechai HaYehudi was at Achashveirosh’s feast. Sitting there was Haman who wanted to destroy the Jews. The other officials of the king were not apposed to this. Why did Mordechai have to insist on kosher food. (let him eat later on) Did he not realize that his actions would antagonize the goyim?
When one has this approach, he elicits respect from the nations, as we see that it was achashveirosh himself who ordered the kosher food for Mordechai.
It really is a matter of common sense, or lack thereof. Just ask and explain.
Your hand luggage goes through xray, so there shouldn’t be so much concern. #10 you are an idiot, or should i say you could have put it in a nice way. lol.
It is about time that pilots and stewardesses learned what tefillin were. Either in training seminars or sensitivity training. Airlines MUST TRAIN!! Otherwise this will happen over, and over, and over.
Yes, there is nothing wrong with informing the stewardess first. and yes, it might avoid trouble.
i was commenting simply on the idea of putting on teffillin in public.