Quick thinking, on-the-ball action, and a spirit of generosity helped dozens of observant El Al passengers from desecrating the Sabbath this past weekend. The incident began when El Al in Israel learned that because of the inclement weather in New York, flight #02 would be not be landing at 1PM as planned, but rather at 3:30 - only some 70 minutes before the onset of the Sabbath.
Rabbi Yochanan Chayot, El Al's Director of Religious Passenger Services, together with El Al Rabbi Avshalom Katzir, immediately began to activate an "emergency service" designed to help arriving passengers leave the airport as quickly as possible and arrive at their destination before the Sabbath. The 50 passengers who asked to be included in the arrangements were rushed off the plane first on a special staircase and were hurried through two special border-control lines established especially for them. At the same time, Rabbi Chayot made a special appeal via a local religious radio station for families to host some of the arriving passengers in their homes; over 80 families offered their homes! Only minutes after arrival, passengers who lived nearby were on their way home, while others made their way to their hosts in Bnei Brak, Elad, Kfar Chabad, and Shoham.
While this was going on, Rabbi Chayot was also making arrangements for two other passengers to observe the Sabbath in the airport; their flight arrived only 20 minutes before the holy day began. He expressed appreciation to El Al, the Ben Gurion International Airport police, and the Airports Authority - but especially to the families who offered to host the stranded passengers.
Rabbi Yochanan Chayot, El Al's Director of Religious Passenger Services, together with El Al Rabbi Avshalom Katzir, immediately began to activate an "emergency service" designed to help arriving passengers leave the airport as quickly as possible and arrive at their destination before the Sabbath. The 50 passengers who asked to be included in the arrangements were rushed off the plane first on a special staircase and were hurried through two special border-control lines established especially for them. At the same time, Rabbi Chayot made a special appeal via a local religious radio station for families to host some of the arriving passengers in their homes; over 80 families offered their homes! Only minutes after arrival, passengers who lived nearby were on their way home, while others made their way to their hosts in Bnei Brak, Elad, Kfar Chabad, and Shoham.
While this was going on, Rabbi Chayot was also making arrangements for two other passengers to observe the Sabbath in the airport; their flight arrived only 20 minutes before the holy day began. He expressed appreciation to El Al, the Ben Gurion International Airport police, and the Airports Authority - but especially to the families who offered to host the stranded passengers.