Turkey's largest city Istanbul was hit by a heavy snowstorm earlier this week, and among the hundreds stranded was an Israeli rabbi who took shelter at a mosque.
Rabbi Israel Elbaum was in Istanbul as part of his job as an auditor for kosher food certification, checking if companies abide by the requirements of Jewish law in the food industry, which is more or less the Jewish equivalent of Muslim halal standards.
The 62-year-old rabbi set out to catch his plane after finishing his work on Tuesday but became stranded on the road as heavy snowfall caused traffic disruptions while the city's mega-airport was closed. Images of Elbaum, who was stuck in his car on the way to the airport due to heavy snowfall, were shared on social media.
Elbaum had to wait in his car from 3 p.m. local time (12 p.m. GMT) until 2 a.m. the next day, after which he was rescued by the Turkish gendarmerie. He was first taken to a police station and later to the Ali Kuşcu Mosque near Istanbul Airport by the Turkish gendarmerie.
According to Doğan News Agency (DHA), in some video posts, the rabbi can be heard joking with gendarmerie teams, saying in Arabic, "The weather is beautiful, Mashallah," while being rescued.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) in Istanbul, Elbaum recalled his overnight experience in the mosque, where he, along with many others, arrived at 4 a.m. (1 a.m. GMT).
"It was so cold ... I had to take off my shoes as other people do," he said. "The carpet was warm ... people gazed a bit at me because I look different, but did not say anything and were smiling. It was very nice," he recalled.
When he saw other people sleeping, he also took a nap. He later offered the Shacharit morning prayers along with Muslim worshipers.
"We are praying to the same God, so, I think it is not a problem," he said. "We are praying for the same God, we are children of the God. And (It is) nice ... being together, praying together, dancing and smiling together," he explained.
The story was also shared by Istanbul-based Rabbi Mendy Chitrik, chairperson of the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States.
"My friend Rabbi Elbaum was also at the E-5 traffic pileup in #Istanbul – he took it in good spirits," he tweeted. "Hundreds of travelers are stranded all over the country – due to the heavy snowstorm. I keep on getting calls to supply kosher food from Antalya and Ankara to Trabzon," he added, sharing a video of Elbaum on the back seat of the car he was traveling in.
First time in a mosque
Making a statement to reporters before boarding his Turkish Airlines (THY) flight to Tel Aviv last night, 62-year-old Elbaum spoke about his experiences during the night he took shelter in the mosque and afterward.
"The place they took me to was a mosque, not a hotel. I slept there. I stayed in the mosque for five hours. I prayed in the morning. Everyone treated me very well. I want peace, not war, for all of us, now and for the future. I want that for Muslims and everyone. The world will be a better place like this," he said.
"I was the only Jew in the mosque. I felt very good in the mosque. The people there were very nice. It was the first time I entered a mosque," the rabbi said.
"If we love each other, smile and treat each other better, everything will be fine," he added.
Expressing that he frequently visits Turkey, Elbaum said that he will soon visit Turkey again.
Elbaum returned to Israel with THY's 6:30 p.m. flight to Tel Aviv.