On a wing and a prayerFlying prayers to stop H1N1 virus
Fifty Jewish dignitaries, including rabbis, religious scholars, and yeshiva students, recited special prayers and blew shofars while flying over Israel, aiming to prevent more Israeli fatalities from swine flu
Amidst blowing shofars and trumpets, religious Jewish dignitaries took to Israel’s skies and prayed that no more Israelis die from the H1N1 virus.
Yedioth Aharonoth reported Tuesday the group of fifty, including rabbis, religious scholars, and yeshiva students, recited special prayers and blew shofars (ram’s horns) and trumpets seven times during the flight Monday.
Rabbi Yitzhak Batsri whose father, a leading rabbi, initiated the flight, said the goal of the prayers was to prevent further Israeli fatalities and stop the swine flu virus from spreading.
UPI reports that it is the third time since the establishment of the Israel Jewish dignitaries have conducted special prayer sessions in the skies, the paper said. The first time was during the Gulf War in 1991 and the second time was in 1996 when Israel was struck by a series of terror attacks, the paper said.
So far five Israelis have died from swine flu-related complications, the Health Ministry said.
