A group of frequent flying New Yorkers and Israelis have created a new petition aimed at EL AL airlines’ directors. The initiative was prompted by the most recent crisis involving the `Shabbos Flight’, but it addresses the long history of repeated incidents of disrespectful and insensitive treatment towards frum travelers. The latest was simply the straw that broke the camel’s back and moved them into action.
Many travelers have expressed solidarity and share the sentiment that they are frequently shocked, disappointed and hurt by condescending and disrespectful conduct of El AL staff.
The petition is not calling to boycott EL AL, but the organizers report that many people have already made up their minds to switch to other airlines. Instead, they are calling for people to first take a stand, let their voice be heard and be מקיים the mitzva of הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך.
As one campaign organizer we spoke with explained, “We feel that the right thing to do is to first allow people to express their grievances through this petition. We think this is the derech the Torah prescribes to follow in such cases.”
The petition will be sent in a few days along with 10,000 signatures to EL AL’s director, Gonen Usishkin, calling the EL AL management to seriously address this unfortunate phenomenon.
If you have witnessed disrespectful or condescending conduct by EL AL staff towards religious Jews you can sign the petition by clicking this link.
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10 Responses
I love flying ElAl. On no other airline do I feel quite as safe, or at home. I’ve seen the onboard staff handle medical and other situations wih competence, dignity, and respect. And I’ve never seen them disrespect a frum person unless that frum person started up with them first. They are loving to the kids, and live up to their slogan of ‘הכי בבית בעולם’.
Is their a petition I can sign to express all that?
How many signatures do we need to collect to convince chareidim not to fly so close to shabbos.???
I stopped flying ELAL due to the lack of leg room and packed flights. But honestly when it comes to accomidating the frum oilam, I think they allow and put up with much of our demands and behavior that other airlines dont. Minyanim, over stuffing overhead bins, constantly moving around and shmoozing, opening and closing bins throuout the flights etc.. are all tolerated even though it makes their job much tougher. So if you’re gonna complain, why dont u thank them for all that they do for Frolum travelers
I’ve flown EL Al for many years, and have never seen anything like what these petitioners allege.
Never heard of any attempt to first use a ‘soft’ approach and speak to EL AL about whatever complaints you have. I agree with chevraman comments regarding the general behavior that is tolerated by EL AL. What I saw and experienced was EL AL acconmodating the minyan that literally took over the back galley which is the Crew’s domain, and frankly, they were more than happy to allow us to daven. On another flight a stewardess asks us to daven for her for a shidduch. THere are two sides to every story and it is possible that EL AL has experienced to much ‘smart alicky’ behavior and simply are tired of it. The petition may backfire and cause EL AL to be even more upset after all of what they tolerate. I am only suggesting that a respected individual representing the frum flyers have a meeting with them to discuss these matters. MAybe it is a brachoh levataleh but at least we can say we tried.
I fly El Al every 2 weeks. I’ve never seen any disrespect to frum yidden. This is a dumb idea.
I am a senior citizen and have flown EL AL for over 45 years.
NEVER have experienced any disrespect.
On the contrary, only the greatest respect.
I have respectfully asked the flight attendants for permission to stand at the rear to daven and have been granted permission. We have made Minyonim on the flights with over 20 ppl. and we were catered for. I have forgotten to order “special kosher” and been accommodated over & over. ETC ETC ETC
Yes, I have witnessed the attendants having to deal with great provocation from “our folk”
If I was educated as these employees are, I would not be able to deal with some of these disturbances of a limited number of passengers demanding preferential treatment because they exercise their private desires for certain likes or not likes.
We have to exercise great caution how we behave if we want to have the privilege of being called the עם הנבחר.
Let’s try to live up to that illustrious title.
Let’s support ELAL as much as possible.
If they go under, we will suffer.
Only THEN, will those who brought her down realise it and regret.
הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך
TOTALY NOT APPLICABLE HERE !
START AT HOME !
Thank you for sending me this invitation to participate in your petition protesting El Al’s treatment of religious Jews!
Because the cute cartoon picture attached to the link shows only men, I’m assuming you only want men to participate. If and when you decide that women can be “religious Jews” as well, feel free to update the picture and re-send the link.
(p.s. I live in Israel, where most religious Jews aren’t this pale-pink colour, either…feel free to update that if you’d also like to suggest that Jews can be a variety of shades.)