World Scene: Israel

Rabbis pray to end swine flu

Dozens of Israeli rabbis versed in the esoteric secrets of the Kabbalah have taken to the skies to pray for an end to the swine flu epidemic.

The rabbis prayed and blew seven times into ceremonial ram's horns known as shofars as they flew over Israel on Monday, the Yediot Aharonot newspaper reported yesterday. "The aim of this operation is to stop this epidemic so that people don't die anymore. Following our prayers, we are certain the danger is now over," Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri told the newspaper.