The parents of a baby boy planning to fly to Holland on have been informed they may not for the airline does not permit a baby under a week old to fly. The family wishes to have the bris in the presence of Rabbi Eliezer Berland.
The parents arrived with the child on Monday night the eve of 2 Sivan but the officials of the foreign airline at Ben-Gurion Airport informed the parents the child is too young to fly, prohibiting from boarding their flight to Holland. Pleas and efforts to persuade the decision-maker that the child must fly so he can be in Holland for his bris fell on deaf ears as the parents were told airline regulations do not permit a baby under 1-week-old from flying.
At the time of this article it is unknown if the parents will succeed getting to Holland on time to permit Rav Berland to be sandek using another airline or if the bris will be held in Israel.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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12 Responses
Sorry, but this sounds like a חסיד שוטה. It reminds me of the story of the חסיד who took his baby on the morning of the bris to a mikva and toiveled the kid. He was resuscitated, and survived the experience. I do not recall whether the bris was on time or was postponed.
This family should have addressed the issue earlier, as the restrictions about infants traveling is not happenstance, but a regulation that was intentionally made to protect babies (and the airlines). I vote against the bris being done outside of the location where the child’s family is.
Wacky parents and poor baby.
What Tzaar Baalei Chaim for this infant- to be schlepped to the airport and spend hours and hours at the airport- how was the baby fed? How was the baby changed and bathed? Was the mother there? What plans were made for the care of the infant in Holland?? After the Bris the baby needs special care – where were they going to be staying and would it be clean, and have gauze and anti biotic cream for care of the infant? Would mother be there to nurse the baby properly? They need to go home and take care of this baby!!! The baby’s well being is the most important thing! Someone should step in and rescue this baby!
Why can’t r berland fly to Israel?
There are no chushiva rabbanim in eretz yisroel? JUST SAYING!!
To #4. because there is a warrant for his arrest
About 18 or so years ago I knew someone who flew with her new baby from E”Y to America for her son’s bris. It’s a much shorter trip from E”Y to Holland, so if a baby could travel from E”Y to Amer. a baby could could travel from E”Y to Holland. I’m not saying it’s a good idea, just that it has been done.
Mbachur: I see that Boruch Hashem you’re a bit cut off from the news.
There’s a reason why the first week a Yoledes can be Mechalel Shabbos etc. As she is called a Choleh Sheyesh Boi Sakana. How stupid therefore for her to embarking on a flight to Europe just days after giving birth. And the baby – sure it’ll do his fragile lungs a world of good to share oxygen with a couple hundred pick n mix folk and then the climate change of Chamsin in Tel Aviv to raining in Holland is just what his new antibodies need right now.
They should ask someone who waited 10 years for kids if that’s sensible. Or maybe proper Daas Torah would come in useful.
I now have to discern who is wackier:- This individual wishing to take his son to the Netherlands for a Bris? or the individual who flew from Israel to Uman for Rosh haShana 2008 and missed hos own son’s Bris in Israel on Rosh haShana 2008>
yayin,
lol, maybe ive been hanging around the cr too much as coffee addict
but seriously, i don’t follow this type of news, more in regards to iran, the coalition
What a miracle that the Airline protected this baby newborn and postpartum mother. It is clearly in the news that in Holland the followers of Rabbi Berland are staying in a Public Park like homeless people, to be “near” him as he is fleeing his legal woes. Whether or not that was their lodgings, the safest place to give the newborn baby it’s Bris is near its home, near its hospital and doctor and local Rabbis. Often newborns get jaundiced or have other problems, and after the Bris they are in pain and should not be schlepped around to airports and planes where they can’t be properly cared for. The mother needs to rest and eat well to build a good milk supply for the infant. What kind of absolute madness is this???