In the state of Israel, which defines itself as “exclusively Jewish” (law passed in the Knesset on 19/7/2018), after much opposition and hesitation, non-Jews were granted a prayer space at Tel Aviv airport (albeit with discreet signage to avoid acts of vandalism by Orthodox Jews).
Prayer rooms for Christians and Muslims at Tel Aviv airport
In a new wing of the Terminal 3 At the Israeli international airport, two separate rooms have been opened for the prayer of non-Jews
Two hands open in the gesture of prayer, above a writing in Hebrew, in Arabic and English. In the new E wing of the Terminal 3 at Ben Gurion airport - Israel's international airport - a simple and non-denominational sign has been indicating the "prayer rooms" for a few weeks. Simple environments, opened without too much fuss, but which mark an important gesture: the debut of a public space designed for the spiritual life of non-Jews in one of the busiest environments in Israel.
There was obviously already a synagogue at Ben Gurion airport, as in all the most important Israeli meeting places. And it was already since 2006 that the airport authority had talked about the idea of opening a space for non-Jewish prayer in the new Terminal, also due to the fact that Muslims and Christians together represent almost the 20% of the Israeli population and frequent the airport like everyone else. However, this project was lost in the maze of bureaucracy, until a singular accident relaunched the need for it: In the 2015 on the day of Simchat Torah – a Jewish holiday, during which religious Jews do not travel – a family of Muslim Turks in transit from the airport mistook the completely empty synagogue for a mosque and started praying there, even using tallits (the prayer cloaks of the Jewish tradition) like carpets. When some passerby noticed it and pointed it out to him, the family immediately interrupted their prayer and apologized, thus showing that he was in good faith and did not have any provocative intent. But the images were still too tasty not to circulate on social media.
Shortly afterwards, the works for the completion of the E wing offered the possibility of addressing the issue once and for all. A commission was established which chose not to build either a mosque or a chapel, but two distinct prayer rooms, designed for Jews and Muslims who are looking for a space for meditation. The airport administration financed its construction and also takes care of its cleaning and safekeeping. Particular attention was also paid to the issue of religious symbols, he told the French edition of the site Terrasanta.net Yishka Harani, Israeli researcher active in the field of interreligious dialogue who collaborated as a consultant on the project.
The main concern was in fact that of possible acts of vandalism which in a context such as that of identity tensions in the Middle East could become further fuel on the fire. In the end it was decided to use a bell tower surmounted by a cross and a dome with a crescent moon as specific pictograms.
As for the meaning of this new presence for Israeli society, Yiska Harani underlines the inclusive message. It could also be an example for the opening of other spaces of this kind in the country? «In Israel trains run relatively short distances, I don't see a need of this kind for the stations – replied the airport authority consultant a Terrasanta.net -. Rather, it could be an interesting idea for universities".
