Rabbi offers daily prayers, comfort to travelers leaving LAX for Israel
"It's a blessing. It's a big mitzvah," he said.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- As you can imagine, traveling to Israel right now can be a tense situation, but to offer a little comfort to those travelers, a local Rabbi is volunteering his time at LAX.
Rabbi Ari Liberow didn't travel far to reach Los Angeles' major airport.
"I run the Chabad of Westchester near the airport," he said.
He's been coming to the international terminal to volunteer daily since Oct. 7, conducting prayer services with passengers traveling to Israel.
"They want to take part and do something good before they get on," said Liberow. "It's amazing. It's a blessing. It's a big mitzvah."
One traveler hadn't done a prayer service like this before. As for his flight, Scott Loffman has no hesitation despite the ongoing conflict. He did admit he did his own prayer before arriving t the airport.
"I personally don't try to push my religion on anybody, but, you know, I think he has a good heart, and he's working hard, and he's helping people," said Loffman. "He's trying to help people improve their lives, and that's a good thing."
Rabbi Liberow said other airports like Miami and JFK in New York provide similar services and he's glad he's available for travelers in L.A. who need it.
"You know, we can have our differences. As the saying goes, 'Two Jews, three opinions,' but we're still family," he said. "We look out for each other, and people appreciate that."
