Flying prayers to stop H1N1 virus

Yedioth Aharonoth reported Tuesday the group of 50, including rabbis, religious scholars and yeshiva students, recited special prayers and blew shofars (ram's horns) and trumpets seven times during the flight Monday.

Rabbi Yitzhak Batsri whose father, a leading rabbi, initiated the flight, said the goal of the prayers was to prevent further Israeli fatalities and stop the swine flu virus from spreading.

It is the third time since the establishment of the Israel Jewish dignitaries have conducted special prayer sessions in the skies, the paper said.

The first time was during the Gulf War in 1991and the second time was in 1996 when Israel was struck by a series of terror attacks, the paper said.

So far five Israelis have died from swine flu-related complications, the Health Ministry said.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.