By COLlive reporter
Rabbi Kalman Weinfeld, a senior kosher supervisor from Crown Heights, was headed to the Bahamas on Monday to oversee the kashering of a local restaurant that will be hosting a “Yeshiva week” for a frum Jewish group. He didn’t expect his short flight to take on extra meaning.
At the end of the flight, Rabbi Weinfeld, who serves as the Head of the Food Service Department of OK Kosher and Rabbi of Manhattan Beer, took a moment to thank the pilots. To his surprise, one of the pilots responded with a hearty “zei gezunt!” (“be well” in Yiddish).
“When he said that, I asked him, ‘are you Jewish?'” Rabbi Weinfeld told COLlive. “He said yes, and I asked him, ‘have you put on Tefillin?'”
The pilot replied that he had once before, and that he is in touch with Rabbi Sruly Deitsch of Chabad of Bronxville, NY. He said that he was happy to put on Tefillin again.
As Rabbi Weinfeld was helping the pilot with wrapping Tefillin in the cockpit, the co-pilot walked in and commented that he is also Jewish.
“He remarked that he knows the Shema, and says it sometimes, but he said he is 44 years old and had never put Tefillin on in his life,” Rabbi Weinfeld says.
Both pilots ended up putting on Tefillin, and the three broke into a joyous dance of ‘siman tov u’mazel tov,’ celebrating a Bar Mitzvah right there in the cockpit of the United Airlines plane.
“After the flight, the pilot was in touch, and told me that his family is thrilled that he had a Bar Mitzvah, and said that he would like to keep in touch to learn more,” Rabbi Weinfeld said.
this is beautiful!!! Mazel tov!!!
What a wonderful heartwarming story!!!
I was going to morning service for the last 5 years however I was ill and have missed the last 2 months, plan on good back shortly however I put tefilan on at home.
The world gets better
Kol hakavod to Kalman. A real soldier of the Rebbe
Soldier of Hashem through the rebbe teachings
Something so so so beautiful to watch! Moshiach Now.
nothing like serving the MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE. THANKS FOR THE GUARDIANS.
A beautiful story.
Yes. HIS guardians are here with us – trust.
This encounter brought a tear to my eye.
מרגש נורא very moving
You don’t see something like that every day
מזל טוב וסימן טוב
#airtefillin
A very heart warming story. Its stories like this that make me proud to be a united employee. Thanks to the flight crew for representing all of us so well.
Mazel Tov and L’Chayim! We should all be so lucky to be on a flight with either of these two blessed pilots!