By Menachem Cohen, COLlive reporter in Israel
This past Shabbos will long be remembered by some 40 haredi Jews and their families in Israel.
Flying back on a charter flight from Germany, where they vacationed, the group was forced to desecrate the holy day of Shabbos due to a mechanical error.
Their itinerary showed that they would be landing in Tel Aviv’s International Ben Gurion Airport on Friday, 3:00 PM.
But on the runway in Germany, an aircraft technician found a malfunction in the wheels of the plane.
Watching the time tick by, the Jewish passengers realized they might not make it on time for Shabbos.
They immediately informed the flight crew, but were not allowed to leave the aircraft because the doors were already sealed.
The airline did agree to notify their staff in Israel to make whatever possible arrangements.
2 hours before Shabbos, Rabbi Nachman Maidanchik of the Chabad House in Ben Gurion Airport, was told about the problem.
He called Binyamin Rivkin of the Rivkin Family Caterers in Kfar Chabad, a village near the airport.
“I received the call at 5 PM,” Rivkin later told COLlive.com. “Our shop was closed, cleaned, and we were sold out. I told them we do not have anything.”
But as a Lubavitch Chossid, he said he couldn’t deprive Jews from celebrating Shabbos.
An hour later, at 6 PM, a fully catered Shabbos meal with wine, Challah, fish, salads, soup, chicken and other entrees was loaded on two vehicles.
Two Lubavitchers volunteered to bring the food to the airport where they took it through security.
At 8:30 PM, with Jews all around the country heading back from Shul, the plane landed.
The 40 haredi passengers spent Shabbos in the airport complex, davening and eating away from their families.
On Motzoei Shabbos, some of them called the Kfar Chabad residents thanking them for their efforts.
Yedidia Meir, a radio host on Kol Chai, commented: “I was not surprised to hear about this story. The Rebbe’s influence is so great that it keeps on today.
“We know of the Shluchim around the world who inspire Jews, but the fact that there are also Shluchim for Kosher food – now that’s a first.”
Rivkins and maidanchicks rock!!!
Whereas in other sites comments are used for just people’s thoughts, on a yiddisher site they are used to bring out good Torah thoughts and views!
All those who criticize should remember the teaching of Chazal: “Al Tadoon Es Chavercho Ad Shetagi’ah Limkomo” = don’t pass judgement until you know all the facts. Moreover, don’t look at others as “sinners” – accentuate the positive and be Melamed Zechus. That’s the way to hasten the Geulo.
which airline was it.
i stayed by the rivkins over purim and they let me and my friends stay for 5 days. they’re amazing people who go ouit of their way to do hachnosos orchim and alot of big mitzxvos!!!
One time I was very sick in the hospital Shaarei Tzedek in EY erev Shabbos. A few hours before Shabbos B”H some Jews who own a bakery (I wish I could remember the bakery mention their names, but I can’t) came rolling into the ER with beautiful trays of Yerushalmi kugl, cakes, challahs, you name it. B”H I was able to get home before Shabbos but we had no time to make a seudah. Because of these good Jews we had a Shabbos meal! Otherwise between me being sick and us having nothing ready it would have been a disaster!… Read more »
The story is with the Baal Shem Tov & R’ Michel Zlotchiver.
R’ Michel did not end up bing mechalel Shabbos, he got very close to it though.
There’s a story about a Rebbe who gave a Jew the ‘knas’ of supplying the shul with candles ‘cos he inadvertently desecrated shabbos. A big ‘Rabbi’ challenged the Rebbe ,”why such a lenient punishment”. That Rabbi himself ended up in a predicament where he desecrated shabbos and experienced such awfully raw emotions about it that the Rebbe explained that was how the man felt and that was why his ‘knas’ was to supply the shul with candles. Thus, as far as this icident, yes one doesn’t travel on erev Shabbos, but especially during these nine days lets try to either… Read more »
i’m not sure its a chilul chabbos to fly and land on shabbos if you start on friday and there are delays beyond your control.. There are halochos of going on a ship that travels on shabbos. You are allowed to travel on a ship if you go on it before shabbos. There are also halochos about landing and going off a plane that ends up flying on shabbos because of delays which were out of your control. (same with trains) We should all learn these halochos bec you never know when it might happen to you despite all the… Read more »
now u see why we lubavitch dont travel on fridays!!! good work though
if i’m not mistaken, the biggest problem with flying on shabbos is you’re forbidden to LEAVE THE PLANE till shabbos is over, because of the tchum. Now if they would have shared that little tidbit of information with the crew in germany, I’m sure they would have been kicked off in a hurry
NATZISSSS, THEY SHOULD HAVE LET THEM OFF!!!
yashar koach! you make the rebbe PROUD!!!!!!!!!!!! am so so proub to be a LUBO!
they where conecting flight’s from all over the world
Their didn’t use teir Jewish cap when the plan this trip. When planning a trip before Holiday or Shabbos always get your self extra time depending on transportation. For a trip like this you should take at least 10-12 hour in advance for trip by car 3-4 hour.
How can anyone time their flights to land THREE O’CLOCK on an erev Shabbos?? Talk about cutting it short. . . Dont rely on miracles. . 5/10 times there are delays/hiccups involved when flying . . why take such huge risks??? Sad;
I’m sure, now, they won’t ever do it again. . . shame this had to happen first
Yeshar Koach!!! What a Kiddush Hashem. The Rebbe is very proud of us.
All nice, but planning to land at 3:00 PM on a Friday? As frum Jews we should consider that it’s not so smart to land so close to Shabbos……
sorry to say avaira gorres avaira keep the shulchan aruch and don’t fly or even plan to land friday especially afternoon and this situation wouldn’t happen technically they should all have refused to leave the plane thats the halacha it was the plane’s fault for late departure if the israel’s want they could have carried them of… welll thanks to chabad they kept on e part of shulchan aruch and had wine to mekadaish shabbos…..
This is why frum Jews shouldn’t travel on fridays. That’s a lesson for them.
I am in yeshiva there in Kfar Chabad, every Shabbos the have minimum 10 bouchurim over to eat every Shabbos, and they don’t put on a cheep meal. Tye also have a wedding hall with bouchrim are allowed to come and eat from the designated buffet. They should go from strength to strength and have only brooches
Wow!
C.B h. R.I. Y.l. R.a.
yep its rlly nice and all that chabad came to the rescue but wow comment 10, lets not get too full of it!
I am astounded that people here are questioning why frum jews went to visit Germany!Is a frum person not allowed to be a tourist and see the world?The fact they timed their flight so close to shabbos is a separate issue.Please dont be so narrow minded the focus should surely be on those wonderful people in K chabad that put themselves out to help another jew in time of need.
I don’t see any desecration. Just the opposite.
however why are Jews holidaying in Germany and why do they plan to arrive after Chatzos
i can’t believe it!
we rock we rock we rock…. we rock we rock we rock!! oh yea we rock!!
isnt this the reason youre not really meant to travel(or be scheduled to land) after chatzos?(close to shabbos)
Yishoer koach to the rivkin’s – they have the best kugel ever.
The potao kugel – that is.
May they be blesses with much blessings and success, in their shlichus…
Azkir al hatzion.
Was it EL AL?
They had a brocha for their safety if the never flew on Shabbos.
this guy is really out of the news of chabad!! whats about all the jews stuck in the london airport because of the volchano that the shluchim took care of, and the restaurants for the world football, in Greece, in s Africa and all the other hundreds of thousands of meals shluchos are making and sending plp all over the world?!! sounds like he´s never heard of the chabad chocolate cake affect!maybe he needs to recieve some chabad news!!
Chabad is the best.
The rebbe’s vision really has made and is continuing to make the world a better place.
You’re making the Rebbe proud! We’re the best!!!
So many shluchim provide meals for Kosher travelers.For example, in Slovakia tourists & business people can get gourmet Kosher meals from Rabbi & Mrs. Zev Stiefel, Shluchim to Piestany, a tourist town. They deliver or ship meals all over Slovakia, wherever & whenever visitors need them.
I’m sure they’re not the only Shluchim who offer this service. I’m surprised Mr. Meir doesn’t know that many Shluchim across the globe cater meals for Jewish travelers, especially if they’re in tourist locations. Many frum visitors already know they can rely on Chabad to provide food, and plan accordingly.
“Flying back on a charter flight from Germany, where they vacationed”
I think the obvious question here is what type of Chareidim vacation in Germany. Am I missing something here???
loshon horha