Moldova
MoldovaISTOCK

A month ago, a young haredi man started smoking before getting on a a plane in Moldova, the young man was returning to Israel after spending the Jewish new year at Uman.

Local security approached the man and requested from him to stop smoking, the young man refused.

Another haredi man tried to intervene and help explain the situation. The first young man promptly disappeared into the plane whilst the second was arrested, along with his wife and brother, until he would say who the offender was.

The three were taken to a local jail where they were held over the weekend. The local Jewish community intervened and managed to get the three released to house arrest, at the house of one member of the community.

The court case was delayed twice, as it was meant to be held on Yom Kippur and then on Sukkot. The 3 were finally charged with interfering with a police officer. The judge decided that the 3 must pay 1,500 Euros each, in addition to 3,000 Euros for court fees.

The three will fly to Israel over the next few days, today they met with Rabbi Zaltzman, the leader of the Moldovan Jewish community, thanking him for his help.