El Al will not fly on the Sabbath. Chief Rabbi Yonah Metzger told Arutz-7 last night that he had met yesterday with the future head of El Al Israel Airlines, Prof. Izzy Borovitch, and that Borovitch told him that El Al had decided not to fly on Shabbat even after the company becomes privatized.
"I am happy that El Al was responsive to the desires of the religious community," Rabbi Metzger said, adding that he was pleased to note that Borovitch appeared to be motivated not only by financial considerations, but also out of appreciation for the Jewish Sabbath. MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) said today that El Al had concluded that a renewal of Shabbat flights was liable to cost the company more than it would earn, in the form of a boycott by Torah-observant customers.
The Sabbath decision is not assumed to cover El Al's daughter companies, which are expected to continue flying on Shabbat.
"The decision by El Al encourages us in our struggle against malls that are open on Shabbat," said MK Porush. "We should consider a rebellion of Torah-observant consumers against those shopping centers in the nation that openly trample the Sabbath."
"I am happy that El Al was responsive to the desires of the religious community," Rabbi Metzger said, adding that he was pleased to note that Borovitch appeared to be motivated not only by financial considerations, but also out of appreciation for the Jewish Sabbath. MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) said today that El Al had concluded that a renewal of Shabbat flights was liable to cost the company more than it would earn, in the form of a boycott by Torah-observant customers.
The Sabbath decision is not assumed to cover El Al's daughter companies, which are expected to continue flying on Shabbat.
"The decision by El Al encourages us in our struggle against malls that are open on Shabbat," said MK Porush. "We should consider a rebellion of Torah-observant consumers against those shopping centers in the nation that openly trample the Sabbath."