When Swine Flu Flies, Rabbis Take to the Skies

By Dan Friedman August 12, 2009

The swine flu epidemic continues to rage in Israel. Referred to by its scientific name of H1N1 to avoid the stigma of the unkosher pig, swine flu (by whatever name) is flying through the population with 2,000 reported cases and five reported fatalities.

To fight this, a group of rabbis and mystics took to the air with shofars and brochas to pray for the health of the land over which they were flying. Haaretz reported the flight and the BBC has this unmissable video of it.

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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