JERUSALEM – Dozens of Israeli rabbis versed in the esoteric secrets of the Kabbalah have taken to the skies to pray for an end to the swine flu epidemic.

The rabbis prayed and blew seven times into ceremonial ram's horns known as shofars as they flew over Israel on Monday, the Yediot Aharonot newspaper reported.

"The aim of this operation is to stop this epidemic so that people don't die any more. Following our prayers, we are certain the danger is now over," Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri told the paper.

Israel has recorded five deaths from swine flu, while about 2,000 people are infected by the (A)H1N1 virus.

The name 'swine flu' sounds unclean to observant Jews.

Deputy health minister Yakov Litzman, a member of the ultra-religious United Torah Judaism party, said earlier this year the name "swine flu" should not be used because of its reference to pigs, an animal whose meat is considered unclean in Judaism.

But he failed in his attempt to get authorities to switch the name to "Mexican flu."