Ultra-Orthodox Jews delay El Al flight, refusing to sit near women

[Martinus]

They should have been kicked off the flight the very first moment they started causing trouble. If your retarded bronze age beliefs prevent you from acting like a reasonable member of the society, you shouldn't be allowed to take benefit of the modern age technological advances.

One passenger described the trip as "an 11-hour long nightmare."

El Al passengers heading to Israel to celebrate the Jewish new year were delayed leaving New York on the eve of Rosh Hashanah when ultra-Orthodox passengers refused to sit near women.

Because their beliefs require men and women to be segregated, the ultra-Orthodox men, recognizable by their black hats and curly tendrils over the ears, attempted to trade their pre-assigned seats with other passengers, offering money in some cases, the Israeli news Web site ynetnews.com reported.

The pilot pleaded for them to sit down and the flight finally took off. But after takeoff, chaos erupted.

"I ended up sitting next to a ... man who jumped out of his seat the moment we had finished taking off and proceeded to stand in the aisle," a woman passenger identified only as Galit told Ynet. The man had asked her to move from the seat beside her husband to accommodate his religious beliefs, but she refused.

"People stood in the aisles and refused to go forward," said Amit Ben-Natan, a passenger who was on board the plane.

"I went to the bathroom and it was a mission impossible, the noise was endless," Galit said of the men crowding the aisle and praying loudly.

El Al promised to look into the issue, Ynet reported: "The company will examine the complaints and if some passengers are found to have acted out of line the company will examine its future steps," the airline said.

This isn't the first time the Israeli airline has run into trouble with ultra-Orthodox men, also called "Haredim."

Haaretz reported that in 2012 El Al noticed an increasing number of Haredi men asking to switch seats to avoid sitting next to women. Large groups of up to 20 would try to reserve seats in blocks to avoid it. They would also approach female passengers asking to trade seats before takeoff. An American woman sued, claiming an El Al flight attendant moved her to the back of the plane to accommodate Haredi men.

Israeli ultra-Orthodox communities have also lobbied for gender segregation on buses, at checkout counters and in other public spaces. Sitting next to women isn't the only issue for ultra-Orthodox airplane passengers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/09/26/ultra-orthodox-jews-delay-el-al-flight-refusing-to-sit-near-women/

[Razgovory]

Again?  Not bronze age.  Iron age.  You know, like Socrates and Aristotle.  When did this become a talking point amongst atheists?  Makes you sound like an ignorant rube.

[Caliga]

 

[Darth Wagtaros]

Again?  Not bronze age.  Iron age.  You know, like Socrates and Aristotle.  When did this become a talking point amongst atheists?  Makes you sound like an ignorant rube.

They thrive on outrage, not well reasoned opinions.  You act like he's a lawyer or something.

[garbon]

At any rate, this is one sort of instance where I don't see why we have to politely accept intolerant religious differences.

[Eddie Teach]

When did this become a talking point amongst atheists?

When Al Gore invented the internet, and they could say such things without fear of a belligerent theist or group of theists beating them down.

[Malthus]

At any rate, this is one sort of instance where I don't see why we have to politely accept intolerant religious differences.

Yup. Make a fuss like that, get kicked off the flight IMO. If they don't like it, they can try swimming to Israel.

I sincerely hope the Israeli government absolutely refuses the ultra-orthodox demands for gender segregation. 

[garbon]

At any rate, this is one sort of instance where I don't see why we have to politely accept intolerant religious differences.

Yup. Make a fuss like that, get kicked off the flight IMO. If they don't like it, they can try swimming to Israel.

I sincerely hope the Israeli government absolutely refuses the ultra-orthodox demands for gender segregation. 

What was weird was the time we had a sales guy come to our office trying to drum up business. Most of his clients in the office were women whose hands he wouldn't shake as he couldn't touch women. I thought that perhaps sales wasn't the best gig for him - or at least not in-person matters.

[The Brain]

I sometimes squat near women.

[The Brain]

At any rate, this is one sort of instance where I don't see why we have to politely accept intolerant religious differences.

Yup. Make a fuss like that, get kicked off the flight IMO. If they don't like it, they can try swimming to Israel.

I sincerely hope the Israeli government absolutely refuses the ultra-orthodox demands for gender segregation. 

What was weird was the time we had a sales guy come to our office trying to drum up business. Most of his clients in the office were women whose hands he wouldn't shake as he couldn't touch women. I thought that perhaps sales wasn't the best gig for him - or at least not in-person matters.

garbon, the great toucher of women.

[garbon]

At any rate, this is one sort of instance where I don't see why we have to politely accept intolerant religious differences.

Yup. Make a fuss like that, get kicked off the flight IMO. If they don't like it, they can try swimming to Israel.

I sincerely hope the Israeli government absolutely refuses the ultra-orthodox demands for gender segregation. 

What was weird was the time we had a sales guy come to our office trying to drum up business. Most of his clients in the office were women whose hands he wouldn't shake as he couldn't touch women. I thought that perhaps sales wasn't the best gig for him - or at least not in-person matters.

garbon, the great toucher of women.

I touch women in ways that are appropriate for the workplace, yes.

[The Brain]

At any rate, this is one sort of instance where I don't see why we have to politely accept intolerant religious differences.

Yup. Make a fuss like that, get kicked off the flight IMO. If they don't like it, they can try swimming to Israel.

I sincerely hope the Israeli government absolutely refuses the ultra-orthodox demands for gender segregation. 

What was weird was the time we had a sales guy come to our office trying to drum up business. Most of his clients in the office were women whose hands he wouldn't shake as he couldn't touch women. I thought that perhaps sales wasn't the best gig for him - or at least not in-person matters.

garbon, the great toucher of women.

I touch women in ways that are appropriate for the workplace, yes.

HOTT

[Admiral Yi]

I think I read recently that 60% of American Jews are now ultra-Orthodox, because of their high birth rate.

[The Brain]

, because of their high birth rate.

How do they even...

[KRonn]

, because of their high birth rate.

How do they even...

I guess they can sometimes touch??