El Al to Trial Organized In-Flight Tefillos

El Al cabin staff have received a letter informing them that the airline has decided to trial organized in-flight tefillos on its long-haul flights between Tel Aviv and North America. The tefillos will be held in the galley at the back of the aircraft, after the meals have been served. The time of tefillos will be announced prior to takeoff.

The formally organized tefillos, which will be announced on the passenger’s screens and over the aircraft’s public information speaker system, “at times regulated by the cabin crew,” are designed to replace the current ad-hoc tefillos, in which aisles are sometimes blocked at awkward times, causing inconvenience and discomfort to some passengers.

El Al insists that the tefillos in the galley will not be allowed to spill over into the aisles and disturb the passengers sitting at the back of the plane. All participants in the public tefillos will be required to wear masks.

Estimates are that Shacharis, the longest of the three daily tefillos, should take 30-40 minutes and will take place if possible exactly at sunrise. The letter to El Al’s cabin staff stresses the importance of the timing and that matters in the kitchen should be arranged so that the tefillos can take place at precise times. However, passengers will be required to return to their seats during davening times, which will be halted if weather conditions dictate.