Back in January 2014 the Movement for Quality in Government (MQG) challenged the arrangement granting special VIP status to a number of prominent admorim, rabbonim and roshei yeshiva shlita. The special arrangement applies to 45 rabbonim and admorim, but that is now a thing of the past.
Ben-Gurion Airport officials informed the appropriate employees that as of Sunday morning 9 Marcheshvan, the long-standing arrangement has come to an end and these prominent rabbonim will no longer be permitted to bypass lines and be driven to and from the runways. The decision is the result of a Supreme Court ruling on the matter regarding special arrangements for religious figures.
The memo informs employees of the airport that if a prominent religious figure requires an escort, his staff make request this service from one of the companies authorized to provide such a service and they will have to pay for it, carrying a price tag of about 1,000 NIS.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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15 Responses
will they stop VIP service for MK’s also?
This only applies for a regular airline. On private planes, different rules always apply. In the rest of the world, people who are too fancy to go through regular lines often rent or own their own plane and leave other than through regular passenger terminals.
SHAME!SHAME!That the state of Israel should treat our religious leaders like this! I bet political figures get VIP treatment,our Gedolim deserve at least the same respect!
MQG is a anti-religious NGO lead by rapid anti-religious people and funded from abroad esp by self-hating jews
It’s not that the service is no longer available, it just won’t be free. Personally, I don’t see what was wrong with the old arrangement, but it certainly isn’t kovodik for a Rebbe to wait in line in Immigration with the hoi-poloy. At least that option is still available.
Ongoing government campaign against the chareidi tzibbur of Israel. I’m not surprised at all. I think that if about 500 followers of these rebbes et al would crowd into the airport every time they fly, the airport might change its mind.
Hmmm…”for religious figures.” Does that include the Pope?
Paleeze. The Rebbe shlita along with his entourage do not fly Coach so there is already special treatment in place for these high priced tickets. In addition, the 1000 shek surcharge for the group will not be an inconvenience or noticed.
#5, the prof1, you’re right on!
That’s the olny language they understand!
Oh, pullleeeze. This is a secular gov’t and there is no LEGAL equation between a Rebbe and an gov’t MK. The fee seems an appropriate solution, and I cannot imagine it being outside the budget of a traveling Rebbe and his entourage, who are sometimes known to reserve, like, the whole first class of a plane or the like. I am glad to know that the fee is a modest 1000 sheks. I might just splurge myself some time.
gwillner: You’re kidding right? The Pope is a recognized head of state. Ever heard of the Vatican? No equation there either. The equation would be between a Rebbe an perhaps Cardinal Dolan.
To continue the last comment – in a similar vein, I would expect that an Israeli Rav Roshi would indeed receive security escorts and special airport treatment free of charge, with the same reasoning. And that would be whether he was Chardal Chareidi Mizrachi Sefaradi….where exactly is the discrimination? Let’s not cry wolf. Let’s save our ammunition for when it is valid; we have a tough enough time getting anyone to accept chareidi positions without making silly fusses.
A secular govt that wants to claim it’s a Jewish state is having it both ways. If right of return applied to everyone, Israel would quickly have an arab majority.
Mrs. D:
It is a secular government that maintains, at least in name, to head a Jewish state. And in a Jewish state, you would expect that VIP status for ALL Jewish leaders, be they religious or secular, would be a no-brainer.
Let me ask you something: if a high-profile archbishop were to come to Israel, do you really think the government would make him pay for VIP treatment?
Puh-leeze.
The end of a FREE SERVICE does not equal the END of a SERVICE.
EY Mom, I did think of that question, and that will obviously be the litmus test. And our perception of a Jewish leader cannot be assumed to conform with secular gov’t standards; I don’t take the position I only state it. Where would it end? Which declared Religious leader gets taxpayer shekels for special treatment and which does not? How about every Imam? The gov’t proclaims itself to be a Jewish state and by that they imply (among other things)protection of all Jews as Jews, religious freedom, and consideration of religious standards with regard to halacha as it impacts the greater good via state appointed or elected Rabbis, for some army issues, educational funding, religious sites, rites like marriage, stuff like that. That’s as far as it will go until the present state becomes the true holyland al pi halacha with the coming of Moshiach tzidkeinu. Till then (bekarov mamash) don’t delude yourselves, folks. We are still in Galus. Pick your battles.