huju: The “right stuff” refers to the American space program. If Israel decides to launch a non-military program of space exploration, it will probably include Shomer Shabbos crew. The American “right stuff”, which in the 1950s was limited to military pilots which then (and now, for all purposes) did not attempt to reasonably accommodate religious practices, de facto excluded any frum Jews. Almost all military occupations in the United States are not open to frum Yidden. Today, there are opportunities to become astronauts that do not require having been a military pilot, though it is unlikely they could accommodate a frum candidate (or that a frum person could ever qualify as a scientist given the open prejudices against Orthodox Jews in American academia).
Menu