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A preliminary investigation into the massive disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport on August 20 has found that workers leaving their shifts before completing scheduled overtime hours created a critical staffing shortage in the baggage-handling system, ultimately leading airport management to halt baggage intake and close check-in counters.

The investigative committee presented its initial findings Sunday to the Israel Airports Authority Council. According to the findings, the sudden shortage of employees in the baggage sorting operation caused a major backlog and raised concerns that continuing to accept luggage would overwhelm the system and lead to even more severe disruptions.

According to information first reported by Channel 12, employees who had been scheduled to work shifts that included overtime left after completing nine hours. The resulting reduction in manpower placed significant pressure on the baggage sorting operation.

Ben Gurion Airport Director Zohar Gefen subsequently ordered the baggage system halted. The preliminary investigation found that, given the circumstances at the time, his decision was justified.

The incident has become the focus of a dispute between Israel Airports Authority management and workers’ committee chairman Pinchas Idan.

Following the incident, Idan acknowledged that he had instructed employees not to work the additional three hours beyond their nine-hour shifts. He argued, however, that the departure of several baggage handlers did not justify shutting down the airport’s check-in operation.

Airport management has countered that the employees had been scheduled in advance to work 12-hour shifts and that their departure left the baggage-handling operation without sufficient personnel to function properly.

The disruption caused lengthy lines, delays and flight interruptions throughout the airport that day, with some planes departing without passengers’ luggage.

Although operations resumed approximately two hours later, it took several additional hours before the airport gradually returned to normal operations.

An estimate released at the time by Israel’s Finance Ministry placed the economic damage caused by the disruptions at approximately 25 million to 30 million shekels.

The investigative committee emphasized that its work is not yet complete and that the findings presented Sunday do not constitute its final report. At this stage, investigators have provided only a preliminary reconstruction of the events and have not issued conclusions regarding individual responsibility or ultimate accountability for the breakdown.

The committee’s complete findings and conclusions are expected to be released once the investigation is completed.

Meanwhile, officials at Ben Gurion Airport are already preparing for their next major operational challenge: the busy Tishrei holiday travel season.

The airport director warned employees that unusually large numbers of passengers are expected to pass through Ben Gurion during the upcoming holidays. He called on both Israel Airports Authority employees and managers to assist with airport operations in an effort to handle the anticipated crowds and prevent a repeat of the August 20 disruptions.

{Matzav.com}

A Skverer avreich from Yerushalayim was arrested in the Eilat area and sentenced to 10 days in Military Prison 10 on charges of draft evasion, just days before the bris of his newborn son, which is scheduled to take place this Thursday.

The arrest has caused an uproar within the Skverer community, with the avreich’s family and friends urgently appealing to the relevant authorities to allow him to leave prison and participate in his son’s bris.

B’Chadrei Chareidim has learned that the avreich had made several attempts in recent weeks to regularize his status with the IDF at the recruitment office. However, for various reasons, he was reportedly unable to enter the office and complete the necessary procedures.

After being told that he was not expected to encounter any difficulties or face arrest in the Eilat area, the avreich traveled there. Upon arriving at Camp Yotam, however, he was unexpectedly taken into custody by military authorities on allegations of draft evasion and was subsequently sentenced to 10 days in military prison.

The arrest stunned his family and friends, particularly because his newborn son’s bris is scheduled for Thursday, just two days away. Relatives and friends are pleading with officials to show compassion and permit him to leave prison so that he can attend the family simcha.

Those close to the family say that the avreich is fully prepared to cooperate in resolving his military status as soon as he is given the opportunity to do so.

The avreich is also seeking to settle his status so that he will be able to travel to the United States for the upcoming Sukkos and Simchas Torah period and spend the Yom Tov in the presence of his rebbe, the Skverer Rebbe.

Family members and friends are expressing hope that authorities will take the unusual and sensitive circumstances into consideration and allow the father to be present for his son’s bris.

More than 350,000 people have already participated in Selichos gatherings at the Kosel during the first half of Elul, as exceptionally large crowds continue to stream to the  site ahead of the Yomim Noraim.

More than 50,000 mispallelim packed the Kosel plaza in Yerushalayim on Thursday night for the fourth major Selichos gathering of Elul. The enormous crowd gathered near the remnant of the Bais Hamikdash for an emotional night of Selichos and tefillah.

Figures from the first half of Elul indicate a particularly significant increase in attendance this year. More than 350,000 people have visited the Kosel to participate in Selichos gatherings since the beginning of the month.

In addition to the major organized gatherings, which attract tens of thousands at a time, thousands of additional mispallelim have been arriving at the Kosel each night to recite Selichos.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said there has been a noticeable increase in the number of people participating this year compared to previous years.

“This year, there has been a significant increase in the number of participants in the Selichos gatherings, and not only at the central gatherings, with thousands of worshippers gathering every night at the Western Wall plaza to recite Selichos, and tens of thousands flocking to the gatherings held throughout the month of Elul,” the foundation said.

Along with reciting Selichos, those gathered offered heartfelt tefillos for the welfare of IDF soldiers and members of Israel’s security forces, for unity among the Jewish people, and for peace and security in Israel.

Preparations are already underway at the Kosel for the next major Selichos gathering, which is expected to once again draw tens of thousands of people to Yerushalayim.

Crowds at the Kosel are anticipated to continue growing as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur draw closer.

{Matzav.com}