Cold-as-ice peace
Jordan expels Hasidic teen for refusing to cut sidelocks
Beit Shemesh resident humiliated at border crossing after hiding his peyos; officials mocked his faith and denied entry despite medical travel reasons.
A Hasidic teenager from Beit Shemesh was expelled by Jordanian border forces this week after refusing a demand to cut off his peyos (sidelocks). The incident occurred at the Yitzhak Rabin border crossing, where the student and his mother were attempting to transit through Jordan for a connecting flight to Europe for medical treatment.
According to eyewitness accounts, the boy was ordered to unpack his luggage, remove his hat, and then ridiculed by an official who, upon seeing his sidelocks, summoned police officers. The officers warned that while his mother would be allowed entry, he could only join her if he agreed to cut off his peyot.
Despite explaining the purpose of his trip and the medical urgency, the student’s refusal to compromise his religious identity resulted in him being physically removed from the border area with his belongings.
This type of incident has been occurring in Jordan for many years now. Jordan has denied Israeli citizens entry into the country upon noticing that travelers are carrying prayer shawls and phylacteries (tefilin).