On Thursday, a flight attendant on a US Air flight from New York to Louisville mistook the religious prayer article as a bomb after the Jewish passenger, Caleb Leibowitz, 17, had taken them out to pray, according to reports. Tefillin consist of two black boxes, each connected to leather straps.Seems to me that what's interesting in the story of the Orthodox Jewish kid being hassled on the flight for strapping up in his seat is the worldwide Jewish reaction in the news, online, in blogs, etc to the whole story: somewhat embarrassed amusement, internal backbiting, justifications and explanations, etc. followed by... ho-hum, and maybe a stern lecture from a rabbinic pulpit about "not making a 'shonda' in front of the goyim."The passengers and crew were taken off the plane in Philadelphia. Fire trucks and police met the plane on the runway.
Leibowitz was questioned and released. No one was arrested in the incident.
But nothing beyond that, except maybe some understandably ruffled feathers, if that, among the other passengers forced to switch flights towards their destinations...
Whereas in the Arab world (as per the "Sheiks On A Plane" aka the "Flying Imams" event): the usual response would be law/warfare, sometimes including riots, torched embassies, screaming denunciations, enraged fatwas, indignant press conferences and vitriolic talking heads on news programs.
That says something. What do you think that "something" is, I'd like to know. Drop a comment below, if you please.
