Yonasan David - Black September Hijacking

Black September Hijacking

In 1970 Rabbi and Mrs. David accompanied her father and mother on a trip from New York to Israel. During their return flight on 6 September 1970, their plane was hijacked by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The terrorists freed the non-Jewish passengers and held the Jewish passengers hostage on the plane for one week, after which the women and children – including Dr. David and her mother – were released and sent to Cyprus. During a press conference held on the airfield next to the hijacked planes, journalists were invited to interview several hostages, including Rabbi David. He told the press that "the captives were being treated decently, but that the terrorists were circulating among their captives with biks (the Yiddish word for machine guns) in their hands".

The hijacked airplanes were subsequently detonated and the remaining 40-plus Jewish men – including Rabbi Hutner, Rabbi David, and two students accompanying Rabbi Hutner, Rabbi Meir Fund and Rabbi Yaakov Drillman – and male flight crew continued to be held hostage, first in a refugee camp and then in safe houses in and around Amman, Jordan. On 26 September Rabbi Hutner, Rabbi David and the students were released and flown to Nicosia, Cyprus. Israeli Knesset Member Rabbi Menachem Porush chartered a private plane to meet them in Nicosia, and reported that the men looked emaciated. On 28 September Rabbi Hutner, Rabbi David, their wives and students were flown back to New York via Europe, and were home in time for the first night of Rosh Hashana.