El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE:ELAL) cabin crew received a letter informing them that the airline has decided to test organized in-flight prayers on its long-haul flights between Tel Aviv and North America. Prayer gatherings will be held in the kitchen at the rear of the aircraft, after meals have been served. Prayer times will be announced before the flight.

Formally organized prayer sessions, which will be announced on passenger screens and on the aircraft’s public information speaker system, “sometimes regulated by cabin crew”, are designed to replace ad hoc prayers current ones, in which the aisles are sometimes blocked. at difficult times causing inconvenience and discomfort to some passengers.

A minimum of ten Jewish men is required to form a “minyan” or prayer quorum. El Al insists that prayer gatherings in the galley will not be able to spill into the aisles and disturb passengers seated in the back of the plane. All participants in the prayer gathering will be required to wear masks.

Estimates are that Shacharit morning prayers, the longest of the three daily prayers, should take 30-40 minutes and will take place exactly at sunrise if possible. The letter to El Al’s cabin crew emphasizes the importance of timing and that affairs in the galley should be organized so that prayers can take place at specific times. However, passengers will be required to return to their seats during prayer times, which will be interrupted if weather conditions require.

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on February 13, 2022.

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