On September 30th 2026, a man tried to change the world through terror.
Early that morning, a plane took off from Dubai, scheduled to land in Tel Aviv, and all seemed normal. However, in the cockpit, the dramatic events began to unfold.
Over 170 passengers flew on flydubai flight FZ1073, a majority of whom were Israelis. Around two hours into the flight, one of the pilots, who was later revealed to be an Omani national, took out a crash-axe and attacked his co-pilot. The highjacker then attempted to take control of the plane. Amidst the attack, Pilot Smit Machchhar was able to open the cockpit door. This allowed several passengers on the flight to retake control of the plane and overpower the hijacker.
The attack caused the plane to nosedive almost 20k feet in two minutes and the plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Had the hijacker not been overpowered, it’s likely most–if not all–on board would have died. The damage and emotional impact would have been catastrophic for Israeli and American Jews alike.
de Toledo High School especially felt the weight of the attack. While most were relieved everyone was safe, concern was definitely raised. Aidan R. ‘28 said, “I won’t go on any other flight but El-Al, if I’m going to Israel.”
Like students, adults expressed similar feelings. In most people’s travels, cost is the first factor, but now safety is at the forefront of Jewish people’s minds. The 11th grade dean, Orit Schwartz, said, “Even though the Israeli airline is very expensive, it makes me think twice before I book with any other airline because I know with an Israeli airline I’ll be safer.”
Once the flight landed safely, passengers celebrated their victory by using their speakers to blast music like “Am Yisrael Chai,” and in waves of relief.
But beyond the fear and uncertainty, this scare showed how ordinary people can become heroes. When close calls happen in today’s world, we can’t help but think about what could’ve happened. September 30th, 2026 was one of the closest calls to a horrific event that Israelis have suffered in a while. Terror may try to stop, erase, or divide the Jewish people. No matter what happens, may the Jewish people always keep on dancing.
