What do you get when you mix a newlywed couple, a few Hasidic passengers, and a long-haul flight to Israel? On a recent El Al flight from JFK to Ben Gurion, passengers got to find out.
The flight was cruising somewhere over the Atlantic when word spread that there was a couple still in their sheva brachot week on board. Within minutes, a group of Hasidic men transformed the plane's narrow aisle into an impromptu simcha hall.
Someone produced a kiddush cup and wine (because let's be honest, when don't Jewish travelers have kosher wine handy?), and the familiar tunes of the seven blessings filled the cabin. The groom, caught between surprise and delight, was given the honor of the final blessing.
But it wouldn't be a proper Jewish celebration without dancing. Soon enough, passengers were up from their seats, forming a modest circle dance in whatever space they could find between the rows of seats. Even a few non-Jewish passengers were seen clapping along, caught up in the infectious joy.
The video has since made the rounds on Jewish social media, with many commenting that it perfectly captures the spirit of Jewish communal life – the ability to create a kehillah (community) anywhere, even at 30,000 feet.