Turkiye's largest city was hit by a heavy snowstorm earlier this week, and among the hundreds stranded was an Israeli rabbi who took shelter at a mosque. Rabbi Israel Elbaum was in Istanbul as part of his job as a controller for kosher food, checking if companies abide by the requirements of Jewish law, similar to Muslim halal standards. The 62-year-old rabbi set out to catch his plane after finishing his work on Tuesday, but was stranded on the road as heavy snowfall caused traffic disruptions and the city's mega-airport was closed. Elbaum, who had to wait in a car from 3 p.m. local time (1200 GMT) till 2 a.m. (2300 GMT) the next day, was first taken to a police station and later to the Ali Kuscu Mosque near Istanbul Airport by Turkish troops.
