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Nov 28, 2021
religious travelers forced to desecrate shabbos
According to an article in INN, five people who traveled from South Africa to Israel in order to pay shiva calls and mourn with their friends, the Kay family, after the murder of Eli last week, were turned around at the airport. Israel is concerned now about the new variant of COVID-19 from Africa and barred entry from red countries, including South Africa.
The issue, according to INN, quoting Yediot Achronot, is that this group of 5 South African Jews were banished to a waiting room in the airport and then put on a flight to Dubai. This forced them to desecrate the Shabbos by flying on Shabbos.
One passenger spoke saying that she felt they were treated like criminals and she was told she would be arrested if she did not board the plane. They were not allowed to ask questions and were given nothing to eat.
As I have said many times, Israel is not a religious state, even though it has a, even sizeable, religious community. Israel identified a serious risk, of a new variant entering Israel - Shabbos was not at the front of its concerns. I dont find that shocking at all, even though of course it was troubling to the people affected. I continue to not understand why people have religious expectations of a government that is not religious. Sure, it is nice when our religion is taken into account and given consideration, and that happens often enough, but religion is not the main concern of the Israeli government.
What is somewhat shocking is that they refused to give them anything to eat and refused to answer questions. There is no reason the Ministry of Health, or whatever body is responsible for this, cannot have a representative to talk to such groups of people and explain what is happening and why it is necessary.
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They could have let them stay in a room in the airport until after Shabbos. Israel is not a religious state, but religion is intertwined in many of it's laws and the government recognizes Shabbos and it's laws.
ReplyDeleteThis was a shameful event. As an Israeli citizen who lives here, I am very upset about what happened to them. Just more evidence this government does not care about Jewish values or the Jews who keep the Torah.
The problem is that the new variant, and Israel's new regulations were announced only very recently, and in fact were not even finalized until after Shabbos. When someone lands in Israel right before Shabbos and they could not have know about the new policy, then basic manners would mean you isolate them somewhere (a room or hotel) until after Shabbos, and then send them off. That is what any other country would have done. Certainly in the U.S., for example.
ReplyDeleteSo it is more than a lack of appreciation of Jewish values. It is a lack of appreciation of basic human values.
well said. that's more or less what I meant in my last paragraph
Deletemamash reshaim!!!
DeleteMamash reshaim!!!
ReplyDelete