The TSA and Sukkot
Oct 13, 2008 | 1:17 pm
#1
Original Poster
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 29,078
The TSA and Sukkot
background for those not familiar with sukkot
http://urj.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=12017
=====
but-for the life of me, i can't figure out why this poses a "security issue" let alone is even worth mentioning other than the fact skeltor is tribe......
http://www.tsa.dhs.gov/press/happenings/sukkot.shtm
http://urj.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=12017
Sukkot, a Hebrew word meaning “booths” or “huts,” refers to the annual Jewish festival of giving thanks for a bountiful fall harvest and commemorating the forty years of Jewish wandering in the desert after Sinai.......There are two more symbols associated with Sukkot that deserve attention. Rich in significance, replete with special rituals, the lulav and the etrog are central to this joyous harvest and historical festival.
Lulav is a Hebrew word meaning “palm branch” and refers to a unique ceremonial object associated with the holiday of Sukkot. Lulav is also a generic term, describing a three-sectioned holder with a single palm branch in the center, two willow branches on the left, and three myrtle branches on the right.
Etrog is a Hebrew word meaning “citron,” and refers to the special lemon-like fruit used in conjunction with the lulav in the Sukkot ritual.
Lulav is a Hebrew word meaning “palm branch” and refers to a unique ceremonial object associated with the holiday of Sukkot. Lulav is also a generic term, describing a three-sectioned holder with a single palm branch in the center, two willow branches on the left, and three myrtle branches on the right.
Etrog is a Hebrew word meaning “citron,” and refers to the special lemon-like fruit used in conjunction with the lulav in the Sukkot ritual.
but-for the life of me, i can't figure out why this poses a "security issue" let alone is even worth mentioning other than the fact skeltor is tribe......
http://www.tsa.dhs.gov/press/happenings/sukkot.shtm
Religious Events of Sukkot
Press & Happenings
October 7, 2008
TSA recognizes that the travel period for Sukkot, a significant event for persons of the Jewish faith, begins approximately on October 14, 2008, and ends approximately on October 20, 2008.
TSA’s standard operating procedures do not prohibit the carrying of the four plants – which include a palm branch, myrtle twigs, willow twigs, and a citron through the airport or the security checkpoints, or on aircraft. These plants are not on TSA’s Prohibited Items List.
TSA understands that this is a significant religious event for the Jewish faith and has reminded its security workforce that members of the Jewish faith may be observed engaging in religious practices or meditations and carrying the four plants.
Press & Happenings
October 7, 2008
TSA recognizes that the travel period for Sukkot, a significant event for persons of the Jewish faith, begins approximately on October 14, 2008, and ends approximately on October 20, 2008.
TSA’s standard operating procedures do not prohibit the carrying of the four plants – which include a palm branch, myrtle twigs, willow twigs, and a citron through the airport or the security checkpoints, or on aircraft. These plants are not on TSA’s Prohibited Items List.
TSA understands that this is a significant religious event for the Jewish faith and has reminded its security workforce that members of the Jewish faith may be observed engaging in religious practices or meditations and carrying the four plants.
Oct 13, 2008 | 1:25 pm
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 47,182
background for those not familiar with sukkot
http://urj.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=12017
=====
but-for the life of me, i can't figure out why this poses a "security issue" let alone is even worth mentioning other than the fact Skeletor is tribe......
http://www.tsa.dhs.gov/press/happenings/sukkot.shtm
http://urj.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=12017
=====
but-for the life of me, i can't figure out why this poses a "security issue" let alone is even worth mentioning other than the fact Skeletor is tribe......
http://www.tsa.dhs.gov/press/happenings/sukkot.shtm
The release is probably to remind a good chunk of the TSA force not to behave like idiots if they see observant Jews traveling with religious items.
Picture the lulov and etrog, now picture the TSA at EWR, PHL, and BWI and their well-known attitude issues....get the picture?
Oct 13, 2008 | 2:12 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,684
Oh, great, now we're going to have a terrorist dress up like Aunt Sadie and take over the plane by chucking etrogs at the pilots.
Of course, it does prevent someone from trying to confiscate an etrog because it looks like a lemon, and lemons contain juice and juice is a liquid...
Mike
Of course, it does prevent someone from trying to confiscate an etrog because it looks like a lemon, and lemons contain juice and juice is a liquid...
Mike
Oct 13, 2008 | 6:22 pm
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,725
background for those not familiar with sukkot
http://urj.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=12017
but-for the life of me, i can't figure out why this poses a "security issue" let alone is even worth mentioning other than the fact skeltor is tribe......
http://www.tsa.dhs.gov/press/happenings/sukkot.shtm
http://urj.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=12017
but-for the life of me, i can't figure out why this poses a "security issue" let alone is even worth mentioning other than the fact skeltor is tribe......
http://www.tsa.dhs.gov/press/happenings/sukkot.shtm
Assuming they even read the directive. I'm half-expecting a few reported incidents regarding this issue despite the memo.
Oct 13, 2008 | 6:23 pm
#9
Original Poster
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 29,078
Makes me wish we had an excommunication process.
The release is probably to remind a good chunk of the TSA force not to behave like idiots if they see observant Jews traveling with religious items.
Picture the lulov and etrog, now picture the TSA at EWR, PHL, and BWI and their well-known attitude issues....get the picture?
The release is probably to remind a good chunk of the TSA force not to behave like idiots if they see observant Jews traveling with religious items.
Picture the lulov and etrog, now picture the TSA at EWR, PHL, and BWI and their well-known attitude issues....get the picture?
Oct 14, 2008 | 5:30 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: HHonors Gold, Marriott Lifetime Gold, IHG Gold, OZ*G, AA Gold, AS MVP
Posts: 1,944
Makes me wish we had an excommunication process.
The release is probably to remind a good chunk of the TSA force not to behave like idiots if they see observant Jews traveling with religious items.
Picture the lulov and etrog, now picture the TSA at EWR, PHL, and BWI and their well-known attitude issues....get the picture?
The release is probably to remind a good chunk of the TSA force not to behave like idiots if they see observant Jews traveling with religious items.
Picture the lulov and etrog, now picture the TSA at EWR, PHL, and BWI and their well-known attitude issues....get the picture?
Oct 14, 2008 | 5:39 am
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,725
So, what is the difference between a jew praying at an airport and a muslim praying at an airport? If memory serves, both will be taken into custody.
Sometimes, our fantasies are the only thing keeping us from going postal.
And also some BDOs might consider this stuff "odd" (read- enough to take someone in for questioning) when it's perfectly normal. Head off that kind of trouble at the pass, I guess.
Oct 14, 2008 | 7:58 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 684
The TSA has to issue releases like this because the majority of their employees have very limited knowledge of non-Christian religions let alone more obscure holidays like Sukkoth. Even among Jews this can be a problem, a few years ago a coworker and his wife were on an airplane and his wife was getting increasingly worried about a man wearing dark clothes, a beard, and reading a book written in what appeared to be Arabic script in the row across the aisle. Her husband took a closer look at the book and told her it was in Hebrew. Both he and his wife are Jewish.
I can’t think of anything worse that the TSA could be concerned about blowback than refusing to allow someone to carry aboard a religious item.
I can’t think of anything worse that the TSA could be concerned about blowback than refusing to allow someone to carry aboard a religious item.
Oct 14, 2008 | 9:02 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newport Beach, California, USA
Posts: 36,062
BDOs have no power to take someone in for questioning. They are not LEOs and do not have the power of arrest. Once you've passed screening at the checkpoint, there is no legal basis of which I'm aware that compels you to even acknowledge a BDO, much less speak to one.