Last week, the renovated lobby of the business section of El
Al's New York terminal was dedicated by the Admor of Belz who
honored the event by affixing the mezuza at the
entrance. The Admor's participation in the ceremony,
expresses the gratitude of the chareidi community to El Al
for its efforts in accommodating the needs and preferences of
the chareidi community with its film-free sections and other
arrangements.
The Admor, who arrived in the United States on an El Al
flight, is visiting there for two weeks. The Admor decided to
fly El Al out of his appreciation for the new arrangements
for chareidi passengers.
During his stay in the United States, the Admor is visiting
the Belz Torah and chessed institutions located
throughout the country. Thousands of Belzer Chassidim from
all over the continent spent Shabbos with him in Boro
Park.
Rabbi Avrohom Lazerson (UTJ), as well as all the heads of the
Belzer Chassidus in Eretz Yisroel, the directors of its
various institutions, and throngs of Belzer Chassidim, went
to the Lod airport at 1 a.m. last Tuesday to bid the Admor
farewell. At the stairs leading to the plane, the Admor met
senior service crew members of El Al and thanked them warmly
for the new arrangements which the company has made on its
flights to and from Israel.
The secretary of the National Committee for the Purity of Our
Camp in Eretz Hakodesh, Rabbi Moshe Sholom Raziminski,
accompanied the Admor to the seat reserved for him in the
first class section of the plane. The secretary of the
committee told the Admor about the new and special
arrangements of Darka Achrita, which are much appreciated by
the company's chareidi clientele, and which have enabled
bnei yeshiva, kollel students and their families, and
all Torah observant passengers to fly El Al during bein
hazmanim, and throughout the entire year, from the United
States, Antwerp, London, Manchester and many other
destinations
The administration of El Al has made considerable efforts to
accommodate the chareidi community which represents a
considerable portion of its clientele on many of its routes.
At this time El Al Boeing 747-200, Boeing 747-400 and Boeing
757 planes are configured to offer film-free areas, which are
thoughtfully augmented with many special touches to provide a
Torah atmosphere. On El Al planes chareidi passengers can
order kosher lemehadrin meals under the supervision of
the BaDaTz of the Eida HaChareidis, read the latest chareidi
newspapers, listen to shiurim on the current daf
hayomi, and to chareidi music. In addition all personnel
of the company have been specially briefed on the needs of
the chareidi community. Currently, the company's
administration is also working to arrange for a film-free
area on its Boeing 767 Jumbo jets.
The Admor of Belz blessed the Committee for its initiative
and untiring efforts, undertaken at the behest of maranan
verabonon gedolei Yisroel and all of the botei din
tzedek in Eretz Hakodesh, to help with the new
arrangements. The Admor stressed that "one who comes to
purify himself is assisted from Above."
Signs were posted in Belzer botei medrash all over the
world advising Belzer Chassidim to fly in the special
sections made available by El Al, which has made a great
effort on behalf of the chareidi community and Darka Achrita,
and joining the many other companies that offer these
services. The Admor also expressed his wish and that of the
gedolei haTorah vehaChassidus that chareidi passengers
travel only in such sections in order to avoid transgressing
the prohibition of lo sosuru, and to prevent
chillul Hashem.
When the plane landed in New York, the Admor was received by
the heads of El Al in America led by the director of the
terminal, Michael Meir. After the plane landed, the Admor was
ushered into a special guest room to rest from the trip. At 5
a.m., he headed towards El Al's new terminal and, in the
presence of the company's personnel and the crews of the
departing flights, he affixed the mezuza on the
terminal's entrance. The moro de'asro, moreh
tzedek and dayan of the Belzer community of Boro
Park, HaRav Shlomo Hacohen Gross, made a special trip to the
airport the day before the Admor's arrival to determine the
precise spot on which the mezuza would be affixed and
to examine its kashrus.
At the end of the ceremony, the Admor wished the El Al
company much success, and safe and kosher flights. The heads
of the Belzer community who had come to the airport to
welcome the Admor thanked El Al for the new arrangements
which it has made, on behalf of the entire chareidi
community.
