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| Flying rabbis fight swine flu | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A group of rabbis and Jewish mystics have taken to the skies over Israel, praying and blowing ceremonial horns in a plane to ward off swine flu. | A group of rabbis and Jewish mystics have taken to the skies over Israel, praying and blowing ceremonial horns in a plane to ward off swine flu. |
| About 50 religious leaders circled over the country on Monday, chanting prayers and blowing horns, called shofars. | About 50 religious leaders circled over the country on Monday, chanting prayers and blowing horns, called shofars. |
| The flight's aim was "to stop the pandemic so people will stop dying from it," Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri was quoted as saying in Yedioth Aharanot newspaper. | The flight's aim was "to stop the pandemic so people will stop dying from it," Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri was quoted as saying in Yedioth Aharanot newspaper. |
| The flu is often called simply "H1N1" in Israel, as pigs are seen as unclean. | The flu is often called simply "H1N1" in Israel, as pigs are seen as unclean. |
| SWINE FLU Swine flu is a respiratory disease thought to spread through coughing and sneezingSymptoms mimic those of normal fluGood hygiene like using a tissue and washing hands thoroughly can help reduce transmission lsraeli president swine flu scare Israel renames unkosher swine flu Q&A: What is swine flu? | SWINE FLU Swine flu is a respiratory disease thought to spread through coughing and sneezingSymptoms mimic those of normal fluGood hygiene like using a tissue and washing hands thoroughly can help reduce transmission lsraeli president swine flu scare Israel renames unkosher swine flu Q&A: What is swine flu? |
| Eating pork is banned under Jewish dietary laws. | Eating pork is banned under Jewish dietary laws. |
| According to Israel's health ministry, there have been more than 2,000 cases of swine flu in the country, with five fatalities so far. | According to Israel's health ministry, there have been more than 2,000 cases of swine flu in the country, with five fatalities so far. |
| "We are certain that, thanks to the prayer, the danger is already behind us," added Mr Batzri was quoted as saying. | "We are certain that, thanks to the prayer, the danger is already behind us," added Mr Batzri was quoted as saying. |
| Television footage showed rabbis in black hats rocking backwards and forwards as they read prayers from Kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism which counts the singer Madonna among its devotees. | |
| The shofar is a the horn of a deer or sheep, and is used to mark major religious occasions in Judaism. | The shofar is a the horn of a deer or sheep, and is used to mark major religious occasions in Judaism. |