JTA — A woman from a small village in northern Israel has become the first Druze flight attendant for El Al Airlines.
Merach Kara of Daliyat al-Karmel, near Haifa, finished her flight attendant training course in mid-June. She had to overcome cultural traditions of her community to take the job, the Ynet news site reported.
She wanted to be a flight attendant since she took her first plane ride at the age of 4, she said.
Kara performed national service and attended university as a computer science major before deciding to pursue her dream, according to the report.
She said her family has been fully supportive of her decision even though it is frowned upon by her community and friends.
The fact that she speaks Arabic has come in handy with Arab passengers during training, Kara said.
“I hope that by becoming the first Druze flight attendant in El Al, I can open the door for many more Druze women and help them explore the world,” she told Ynet.
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