WATCH: Ultra-Orthodox Pilgrims Survive Plane Mayday

Image by YouTube

By Dan Friedman March 20, 2017

An emergency cabin depressurization on a Titan Airways flight left a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews fearing for their lives on March 19.

The plane was flying from London to Rzeszow in Poland when a Mayday signal was sent out, the cabin lost pressure, and oxygen masks came down.

The ultra-Orthodox Jews were flying to visit the grave of a famed rabbi to pray for success and happiness. Also known as “Der Hilger,” Rabbi Elimelach of Lizensk is of singular significance to Hasidic Jews. As well as for his own personal righteousness, he is known as the author of the venerated book, “Noam Elimelech.”

This year is the 300th anniversary of the rabbi’s birth and is, as a consequence, there is a particularly big pilgrimage.

On hearing the emergency, the passengers put on the masks and many of them read the “Ani Ma’amin” (“I Believe”) prayer. It’s a statement of faith, used in many songs, but also used in moments where the reader fears for his life — famously during the Holocaust.

Thanks to prayer and excellent emergency protocols, all 262 passengers and 10 crew members landed safely in an emergency landing in the Netherlands.

Dan Friedman is the former executive editor and whisky correspondent of the Forward, and is the author of a book about Tears for Fears, the ’80s emo rock band.

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