A senior class trip got grounded after 101 students and eight chaperones were kicked off their flight.
The International Business Times reported that students from Yeshivah of Flatbush, an Orthodox Jewish high school in New York City’s Brooklyn, were bound for Atlanta Monday. But the crew aboard their AirTran flight asked the seniors to get off.
The students planned to go to Atlanta to visit Six Flags theme park and go rafting.
A statement from Southwest Airlines, which owns AirTran, says the flight crew was responding to “noncompliant passengers.”
“Reports from Flight Attendants and other Customers confirm some passengers in the group would not sit down in their seats and some were using their mobile devices. Both are violations of Federal Air Regulations, as well as our policies,” the statement says.
The students and their chaperones told CNN they believe the crew overreacted.
In a statement, Rabbi Seth Linfield, executive director of the school, said, “We take this matter seriously and have already opened our own investigation” but that “it does not appear that the action taken by the flight crew was justified.”
The statement says the school will work with both the airline and the chaperones to figure out what happened on the flight.
Chaperones told CNN that some students may have needed to be told twice to sit and turn off their phones, but that flight attendants were “nasty” and “created an incident when there didn’t have to be one.”
Southwest said in its statement that “the Crew, led by the Captain, asked several times that the passengers comply with regulations. The issue ultimately delayed the flight’s departure.”
But some members of the group are saying they feel as if they were targeted for being Jewish.
“They treated us like we were terrorists,” a student, Jonathan Zehavi, told CNN.
Southwest placed the students and chaperones on other flights, but the group had to be split up and spend hours more traveling. The group also got vouchers for future flights.
One chaperone, Rabbi Joseph Beyda, posted on Twitter Tuesday morning about “whitewater rafting in Milwaukee!!” with a picture of the group waiting in an airport.
Why. Do so many comments mention chabad? It was not chabad students that were thrown off the flight it was from a modern orthodox school. Lets keep the record straight.
This unpleasant experience is a good lesson in air travel etiquette.
Derech eretz kadma latorah, Middos tovos and fear of heaven is the most important aspect of education
“What we need to learn and take to heart is the importance of inculcating into our children a deep sense of respect and decency, (middos tovos and) the sence that G-d is always watching how we behave, and that our conduct has a big impact on the world arround us and our role to spread the light of G-d to the world arround us
It’s amazing how some comments think they are actually touching people. Get over yourselves.
Even worse…they blew off the guy flying the plane! That’s a one way trip back to the concourse no matter what God you believe in. Those vouchers were probably given in response to the anti-Semite card. Bad behavior that endangers the crew and its passengers should NOT be rewarded.
Chabad is a value system and way of life not just a lable
And also chabad
And yes it is accurate to say they are putting plenty of emphasis on middos Tovos, halevai as much on yiras shomayim
Thank you very much for taking those kids to Israel every year. If you are who I think you are, two of my boys were on that trip. The same boys who learned the great Midos that they have, Thank G-d, at the ‘Modern orthodox’ school. Thank you for all of your hard work.
Sincerely,
A Chabad guy
Then you are chabad
Vda”L
If your agenda was not to misrepresent chabad
If your agenda was not to cast chabad in a bad light
If your agenda was to draw a clear distinction between those who follow chabad’s ways (mit an emes) vs those who dont
Then your comments failed to do so,
When a so called “chabadnik” behaves opposite of chabad teachigs, that individual needs to be correctly identified, not as representing chabad, but rather a distortion of chabad
If the flight attendants were right idk, but from experience flying with bouchrim it’s gantz shayich!
I just want to clarify that I was trying to respond to number 67 and letting that person know that its pretty low to say let those stupid snags learn their lesson. I am just saying that they are kids, and I spend a summer as a counselor on a lubavitch travel camp with 40 teenage girls, and yes, our group was extremely loud and out of control on the plane–they are teenagers. So to say that snag comment was just offensive, I dont care who you are. But to 74, 76 and 73, good job for jumping to conclusions… Read more »
I was on a flight with a group of boys from a Yeshiva going to the Siyum Hashas, and they were so disrespectful to the flight crew, spoke loudly, were very wild, and more than once a stewardess had to ask over the loudspeaker that they please sit down. The teacher was sitting somewhere in the front of the plane taking no responsibility.
And they were going to the Siyum Hashas!
I would not be surprised if they were kicked off, but they were lucky that the flight attendants were nice about it.
It was a total Chilul Hashem.
The lesson we can all agree on regardless of the actual facts of_ this case (we werent there to witness what really went down)
What we need to learn and take to heart is the importance of inculcating into our children a deep sense of respect and decency, middos tovos and the sence that G-d is always watching how we behave, and that our conduct has a big impact on the world arround us and our role to spread the light of G-d to the world arround us
I know who you are and what your agenda is
Clearly you seek to make it seem like the derech of lubavitch is to put others down as hate worthy or bad
Well your true colors are exposed
Dont come onto a chabad website and try to misrepresent authentic chabad ideology by your obvious attempt to cast chabad as hateful and ignorant
Why you this need to defame chabad is something you yourself need to own
air tran was messed up from the bigining
67 and 70 just trying to make chabad look hateful
Thats the opposite of chabad
The Rebbe was vocally against labeling others misnagdim or snags or directin any hatred at another yid
A troll
Very transparant
Theres nothing jewish or chasidish in ur comment
I suspect 67 & 70 are the same troll with the same perverse agenda
IF THEY MISBEHAVED THAT MUCH WHY DID THEY GET VOUCHERS FOR ANOTHER FLIGHT?
I think you mean kid gloves as in the skin of a baby goat not children’s gloves
That’s a really hateful and ignorant thing to say. Don’t pretend that it couldn’t have just as easily been Lubavitch kids
You can’t behave the way you want and then when you get punished blame it on anti-semitism…..
from Israel to NY . They were the most well behaved boys I’ve ever come across. Quiet , calm & respectful and the most impressive thing was that non of them had earphones on the entire journey!!! they spoke quietly, were learning and when the two behind me got really bored after many hrs they sang nigunim together. Punch line – as we all left the plane a ( non frum) women walked past their seats and saw candy wrappers on the floor and called them pigs to their faces! Ppl just hate big groups travelling together and will do… Read more »
its about time all these stupid snags learn there lesson to sit down and shut up and behave on the plane all flight attendants hate jews for a reason!
I heard that the privileged Sephardic kids – many of whom attend the Yeshiva of Flatbush – are known for their poor manners and behavior.
Who is really chabad?
There are some jews who unknowingly are more consistant with chabad teachings and values than many supposed chabadniks who dont actually live it.
Same with the schools there some schools that are not officially chabad who are more Chabad (in practice and values) than some so called chabad schools
“Dont try to deligitimize the authentic chabad by pointing to fakers who pretend to be chabad but in reality dont live it’s teachings”
Agree with u 1000%
Its very necissary to draw clear distinctions between Authentic chabad vs that which porports to be chabad (but actually fails to embody the Rebbe’s teachings and values.
To me anti chabad is anyone who tries to distort what chabad really is Chabad is a way of life! Not an automatic entitlement by virtue of being born into a family in crown heights If your conduct is conflict with te rebbe’s teachings, be it re Tznius, Refined character, Yiras Shomayim etc You cannot legitimately call yourself chabad Same with institutions As I said before, there some schools that are not officially chabad who are more Chabad (in practice and values) than some so called chabad schools What matters is Actions! We all need to seek to follow what… Read more »
I wonder how they would react if they were Moslem Kids?
I think they would be treated with KIDS GLOVES!!!!!!!
What does what you write have anything to do with what # 50 says? You weren’t there, neither was anyone who posted here. This article is turning a story into an all-out bashing of anything – and no one was even there! It’s a DISGRACE! Number 50 is so right.
I used to take forty or fifty students to Israel from LA every year for about twelve years. This kids were 14 years old. They came from a “modern Orthodox school” all the kids were frum.it is a very hard job to ensure that each student behaves in a way which will cause a Kiddush HaSHEM. We spent many hours preparing the kids for this trip and a lot of the time was on the correct behavior in public.We made the parents sign and if their behavior was not up to our standards we followed through with the parents to… Read more »
You call me and others who think like me anti-Chabad? How dare you. If the Middos Tovos and the learning and the outreach that my children do, is that only acceptable if they go to Chabad schools? The fact that they go to mainstream Orthodox schools negates it? You and others continue to profess your sad ignorance of the real world, just because it doesnt have the name Chabad attached to it.
I am not anti-Chabad, just the opposite (obviously you dont know who the writer is). But I AM anti-ignorance
The truth hurts
Our schools need to start living up to its name “Chabad”
For the sake of all the neshamos at steak
If the distinction between “pseudo chabad” vs “Chabad” hurts, then maybe its because the truth hurts!
To point out how many schools dont actully follow the Rebbe’s horaos is not Anti Semitism, its the first steo to correcting the problem by brinhing it out in the open
Yedias HaMachaleh is Chatzi Refuah!
Actually , its kind and good to help a mossad be aware of its blind spots and force it to make appropreate changes
Thats a chesed for all those who have been let down by the Lack of authentic Chabad and Chasidus inside our schools
The person who has wright number 50 is so right
Its not bashing Frum Jews
To make a clear distinctoon between Psudo Frum vs Actually Observant (of Torah following)
If you are really a shliach, then I would hope that you would be the first to agree that if an institution wishes to call itself “chabad” it MUST follow the Rebbe’s teachings!
Case in point
A so called chabad school should follow the Rebbe’s teachings re Middos Tovos and Yras Shomayim as the Main focus and agenda of Chinuch
As aposed to the current misguided emphasys on academics and memorizing more lines than the next kid
These kids were acting in a total chilul Hashem. Horrible !!But don’t blame it on Modern Orthodoxy, I see the same in BP or in some chasidishe schools (there more with the boys though) who think they own whatever place they set foot in and act in such a snooty manner, YUCK. Teachers AND parents have to put an end to this. It’s a scary prospect if these are our future men/husbands and women/wives.
It is possible that the flight crew did overreact. It is possible that there was anti-semitism. Would a group of public school kids going to Cancun for spring break be treated like that? And even if they got vouchers they were embarrassed in front of thewhole plane – probably had trouble finding food. Were scared – etc. The point is that this shouldn’t happen again.
You want anti-Semitism? It’s RIGHT HERE. You want Chilul Hashem? It’s RIGHT HERE. There are over 50 comments, and not ONE of them are from people who actually were present. Whatever one writes here, positive or negative, is pure speculation. Many are not just bashing the students, without knowing the story, but are bashing their movement as well. Some are bashing Jews, Frum Jews, Chabad, schools, and so forth. Whatever happened to Ahavas Yisroel? Whatever happened to Loshon Horoh, Rechilus, and don’t judge someone else even if you know him or her? I am red in the face from Embarrassment… Read more »
All their problems could have been avoided had they had mentchlichkeit and fear of hashem
I teach in a very frum black hat yeshiva with boys from all types of frum homes (and many from Chabad homes). I am continually shocked at the behavior–completely rude and out of control. The administration just allows these kids to be totally hefker and chutzpadik. There is no excuse for raising any child in such an atmosphere.
I recently was on a flight to the West Coast and a group of
45 non-jewish highschool teenagers were flying together for a swim racing competition wearing their team jackets. I sat next to most of them and they were all very well behaved and did not make much noise. They mostly kept quiet with their ipod earbuds in their ears. The Yeshiva’s chaperones should’ve spent time before the trip going over whats’s expected of them as a group when flying and visiting tourist sites.
Follows Torah or Not
Chabad test simple too
Follows the Rebbe or Not?
Whoever doesnt follow its teachings its inaccurate and misleading to characterize them as Frum or Chabad
Read posts 38, 36, 26, and 4, CAREFULLY
you are soo anti chabad that your missing the point
Authentic chabad and authentic yiddishkeit are not represented by those who’s actions and conduct contradict it’s teachings!!!
It doesnt matter if they dress like mainstream america, use nonjewish names or ac4 disrespectful
The question is simple
Are they or they not following/observing Torah
Same with those who wish to call themselves chabad
If bepoel mamash theyre behaviour is opposite to the Rebbe’s teachings then they are (as many are) psudo chabad
Not representative of authentic chabad
Any school regardless what name they claim to to be
Chabad, Chasidic, Orthodox
If lemaaseh you dont follow Torah’s ways, you aint Torah following aka Observant
The same difference between Kosher-style vs Real-kosher
The way they dress and behave in public is either either (distinctly) jewish or its not.
Seth and Thomas is not distinctly “shmum” jewish names
Their dress and behaviur were neither distincly jewish nor “kedoshim”
Lets call a spade a spade
They may come from frum/observant homes but dont call them
If they acted differently to the rest of the passengers then they are wrong. Full stop. Doesn’t matter if the flight crew over reacted. Snags making a chilul Hashem.
And which moron takes that amount of kids on a plane?!
33 Please. Your disdain for African Americans (or likely called something else in Yiddish Slang) comes through so clearly that it is shameful. You don’t even attempt to hide your deeply rooted prejudice. This incident is not about African Americans, Latinos, or other minorities. This case is about a group of Jews behaving unacceptably on board an aircraft defying the commands of the people charged with passenger safety–nothing more. These kids lacked discipline, good sense, and guidance. It is evident, that they could care less about others on the plane or airline safety. The worst is the racist trap you… Read more »
#34…really? Just because someone uses their English name means their lifestyle isnt frum? Did I read that right?
So, if they keep kosher, shomer Shabbos, taharas Hamishpacha, and learn more Torah than you or I ever will, they are still not frum?
Is that really what you mean?
Everyone has to stop thinking that just because someone doesnt follow in our ways of Chabad, that they are deificient in Judaism and frumkeit
and you were on a flight or in charge of a flight and they weren’t behaving, making a lot of noise, not following instructions, not sitting down…
you’d be happy to see them get kicked off the flight…….right?
Real Torah education does not allow for Hepech Derech Eretz
If a school doesn’t educate and inculcate good character and fear of hashem, then it’s not accurate to call this school Observant/Frum
There’s nothing frum about dressing secular, secular speech style, secular names,
It’s not accurate to call this group orthodox, it is accurate to call them from orthodox homes
The Rebbe’s way is often not followed in schools who claim to carry his name
the way the Rebbe taught us was that most important aspect of clinch is Middos Tovos & Yiras Shomayim,
why so called “chabad” schools dont follow the Rebbe’s priorities is a tragic conundrum
I often see small groups of our girls or boys on the train, nice kids, frum kids, but my goodness, doesn’t anyone know the difference between an “indoor voice” and a “outdoor/playground voice” anymore? Why do you have to YELL when you are standing inches away from your friend? A simple reminder that “you are not in a playground, this loud behavior is unbecoming of you” gets them to quiet down, but why don’t they discipline themselves? Note that “Chaperones told CNN that some students may have **needed to be told twice** to sit and turn off their phones”! And… Read more »
Kedoshim tihiyu; includes Malbushum, Leshonam , and Shmum,
I don’t judge them as bad ch”vsh, but don’t call their lifestyle Frum!
Just as someone who dresses religious but cheats lies and steals ain’t really frum (Torah observant) either
I think the behavior was typical of any large group of teens, and the stewards should have handled it differently. A stern warning to those standing would have done the trick. Anti Semitism? Maybe. Would they have kicked off a group of African American teens?
the children will be chutzpah.
The problem is when schools proportions to be “chabad” don’t follow the Rebbe’s teachings…. to priorities Middle Tovos as THE most important agenda in chinuch, not how many blat memorized!
I’ve seen non chabad schools which more closely resemble chasidus and chabad teachings and values than some so called chabad schools (At least in terms of emphasizing Midos Tovos and True yiras H is concerned)
What a shame to see the same old worn out comment race defending bad behavior as “anti-Jew”. Just a week ago on a Sunday in Borough Park, I experienced watching a “wild” group of young men , kick our van, scream at the mother driving, all while trying to come out of a parking space. Yes, supposedly G-d fearing Jewish boys. and the worst of it was that their Rabbi’s and teachers did nothing. I travel frequently for business and use both AirTran and Southwest. They have been immensely sensitive to my needs as a Jew. The crew has always… Read more »
and now I see #26, #25, #22……My goodness. So I assume you are equating these individuals and families, who are Shomer Torah and Mitzvos (albeit maybe in a different custom as you) with the heretics such as the blatantly non-Orthodox movements. it sure seems that way. You folks ought to be ashamed, and rather than considering them not frum, you should THANK them for continuing to show teenagers in today’s day and age the wonderful ways of frumkeit. Or is that wrong because it is not ‘Chabad’ or ‘Chasidish’? We all see how many teenagers have gone ‘off the Derech’… Read more »
NOOOOT!
If there anything anti semetic in the story its the fact that the article even qouted and suggested that someone called it an anti semitic incedent. I’m embarrassed to see this story and more embarrassed to see that mention.
I wonder why all of the group were punished for the misbehavior of some (this isnt a classroom) but i hope they learned their lesson.aybe its time they grow up.
Really? You think that the ‘Modern Orthodox’ schools do not push Middos? Really? Goodness Gracious! I will be PROUD to say that my children exemplify good Middos, and for whatever reason, they have gone to the type of school that you profess puts academics over Torah and Mitzvos. I am PROUD that my children are happy to live their lives as Jews and outwardly show it every day. They also know that we are a Chabad family and they enjoy showing the joys of Yiddishkeit to others. Therefore, when I read these opinions that Lubavitch is the only way to… Read more »
these modern orthodox schools seem ALSO (like many so called chabad schools) to be emphasising the wrong prioritise (ie Academics over Character & Hashkafa)
the way the Rebbe taught us was that most important is Middos Tovos & Yiras Shomayim, why so called “chabad” schools dont follow the Rebbe’s priorities is a sad conundrum
It’s Modern Orthodox mixed so not surprising. This shows the value of a real Torah education. That the “hanholo” is defending the students doesn’t help anything and actually shows the root of the problem.
These kids think they ‘won’…..Honestly, our kids are frequently chutzpadik and lacking derech eretz, although I am told those are the midos needed to be successful in shlichus. Go figure.
i know the school some of the kids there have no respect to any one .very wild some of the girls are even worse then the boys . the school and the chinuch in the house has to change .and to the dear Rabby you know exactly who your dear student are
Rabbi Seth
Rabbi Thomas
These were very modern/secular types
Chillul Hashem big time!
lol
it was a chilul of the modern orthodox school’s reputation
Hashem’s name is not sullied by their misbehaviour!
True many schools proporting to be Frum or even chasidish are in reality not in alignment with Tora’s values and Teachings
at least when it comes to Derech Eretz Kodma latorah, Middos Tovos, Mentshlichkeit, and proper Yiras Shomayim
let’s face it – this is a chillul hashem – those students and their school should apologize to the airline
and, unfortunately, in my humble opinion, it’s indicative of a larger attitude problem in the frum community which is that “the world revolves around me” and everyone else can like it or lump it
sorry – but sometimes the truth hurts
Maybe they thought they were on El Al
if you have to be asked more than once to comply with rules you should not be allowed to fly. period.
these kids probably were acting like they owned the place. typical. what a chillul hashem
Haha and they got a free flight after being kicked off. now that sound like a fun trip that teenagers would enjoy!
Good idea to discuss this story with your kids so they understand what inappropriate behavior in public can lead to. What a chillul Hashem.
I feel in general I see many frum Jews whose middos fall short in public places. It sounded in the first article that the kids had to be asked a few times to comply with what the crew was saying. So, even if it wasn’t the kids’ fault, it’s a reminder to act mentchlich in public. Here, even in CH, there are unfortunately many kids who litter, who don’t know basic manners, push past people on the sidewalk, cut the line, behaviors we in Brooklyn are accustomed to but can be pretty shocking and jarring to visitors or outside of… Read more »
why would the boys do that it is a chilul hashem
Not too many years ago I was a student in Ohr Elchonon in LA. Almost the whole yeshiva flew to CH for Yud Shvat. I was in the oldest class of mesivta, and we were on a seperate flight from zal. There were about 80 kids plus the rabbis on the Jet Blue flight. Long story short the flight left a half hour late directly because of our group. Guys were loud, guys wouldn’t sit down when instructed, they created a ruckus. The flight left late because boys wouldn’t sit in their seat and buckle up. The crew were nice,… Read more »
These schools need to reorient their education systems to emphasize proper conduct.
Stop playing the “anti-Semite” card at every turn in order to excuse away poor behavior. It cheapens real anti-Semitism, and creates a Jews-can-do-no-wrong environment.
Stupid as they may be, everyone who’s ever flown knows the rules and procedures, and if 17 and 18 year olds can’t abide by them they should be thrown off the flight.
This is not anti-Semitism, this is a Chilul Hashem of the first order.
Then maybe they weren’t so bad after all and the flight attendant was just overreacting.
I hate to break it to you, but students in OUR schools & other so-called Chassidishe schools aren’t much better. You should see what I have to deal with on a daily basis, & they are girls. I can’t begin to imagine how they talk to their parents if what they say to us is representative of their “middos”
That’s for liberal democrats, as Jews we should not stoop to that level
I believe there is more to the story, I dont think the kids were really misbehaving
Our Homes and educators need to focus on what chinuch really is all about, primarily raising a mentch with yiras shomayim!
these modern orthodox schools seem also to be emphasising the wrong prioritise (academics over character & hashkafa)
I was once on a flight to israel and overheard a non-frum lady complain about the frum people on the flight and vowed that from then on she’ll fly on shabbos.
Not comparing the 2. but shows how easy it is to make a chilul Hashem.
WEre they really that misbehaved and “uncompliant” or was this perhaps anti-semitism because they were jewish/frum kids?
:/