By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO – In CJ, the quarterly magazine of Conservative Judaism, two rabbis – Aaron Alexander and Daniel Greyber – have authored an article entitled, “Tefillin On A Plane.” It recalls the time when an Alaska Airlines Flight was boarded by FBI agents in Los Angeles investigating some Orthodox men who had sacred other passengers when they donned their tefillin. About a year before, a 17-year-old passenger aboard a U.S. Airlines flight from New York to Louisville caused a panic because other passengers thought his tefillin was a bomb.
The rabbis cite halakhah that one doesn’t have to wear tefillin the same time as one says one’s prayers. They said that there is always the option to wear the tefillin later in the day, so long as this rite is performed while it is still daylight. The two rabbis conclude that Orthodox Jews, therefore, should wait until they get off their flights to strap themselves up, so as not to scare anybody.
Is the rabbis’ column a case of “Shaaa, shtill, don’t upset the goyim” or is it simply some pragmatic advice in our jumpy post 9-11 age?
Those of us who travel to Israel now and again are used to the sight of Orthodox men Shacharit as soon as daylight penetrates the airplane cabin. But on domestic flights in the United States, the sight is far less common and one supposes it is potentially quite confusing, even scary, for the non-Jews whom we are among. Rabbis Alexander and Greyber reason that as prayers with the tefillin are not an absolute requirement, then, for the sake of tranquility, the Orthodox Jews should simply remain seated where they won’t bother anybody, reserving their shuckling and Hebrew-language prayer for after their arrivals at their destinations.
I’d hate to think that because I am ignorant about the religious customs of other people that my fears would preclude them from exercising their rights to freedom of religion. Similarly, I don’t think it is right to say that because someone is unfamiliar with Orthodox Jewish prayer, the Orthodox should be silenced.
In my view, it is more appropriate to use the occasion as an opportunity to inform other people about our customs. The pilot or a flight attendant can make an announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen, we have aboard our flight some members of the Orthodox Jewish faith whose custom it is to pray at first light. Their prayer involves wrapping themselves in tefillin – straps and little leather boxes in which are written words from the Bible commanding people to love the Lord with all their hearts. They will conduct their short prayer service at the back of the cabin, and then will return to their seats. They join your flight crew in wishing all of you a good day and a smooth flight.”
A simple announcement like this can both alleviate fear and satisfy curiosity. It may even lead to dialogue between those who participated in the prayer service and their curious seat mates.
I remember that for five years when a kippah was a standard part of my garb, people of other religions were quite curious to learn about the tenets of Judaism, particularly, for some reason, about what “kosher” means and how one keeps it. I always welcomed these discussions as I believe it helped familiarize people of good will from other religions with Jewish customs and ethics.
My guess is that people who are so committed to Judaism that they want to daven on an airplane first thing in the morning may also be happy to discuss and to teach.
Let’s not take the opportunity for learning, teaching, and exchanges of good will away from people, simply because we’re afraid of what some uninformed people might think while sitting on an airplane.
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Harrison is editor of the San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted at donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com