Vaadas HaRabbonim Lemaan Kedushas HaShabbos issued an
official announcement last week saying, "The lack of faith in
El Al following the act of Shabbos desecration on the night
of Shabbos Parshas Terumoh will only be mended after
the company carries out all of the promises it made following
the grave incident."
The crisis developed after El Al decided to fly a plane that
had been grounded in London for several hours on Friday due
to technical problems it encountered after leaving Toronto.
Despite real-time warnings that the flight — whose
estimated time of arrival was well into Shabbos — would
violate the agreement signed just a few weeks ago, the plane
took off for Tel Aviv, after lodging all of the shomer
Shabbos passengers in local hotels.
The breach of the agreement signed with heads of the
shomer Shabbos community — an agreement reached
just moments before its signing and following a tough public
campaign — caused great resentment toward the company.
As soon as gedolei Yisroel shlita began voicing
protest against El Al a wave of Jews trying to reach Eretz
Yisroel in a completely kosher manner canceled their
flight reservations with El Al.
Following the incident, a series of steps was agreement on,
starting with an open letter of apology for the grave
incident. But the company failed to carry out any of the
other demands, apparently trying to make just a small gesture
and avoid the list of other requirements. El Al appears to
have resumed its previous pattern of operating flights on
Shabbos whenever a delay occurs and then apologizing
afterwards.
Airline industry experts said that El Al seems to be pursuing
the easiest and least expensive option, but Vaadas HaRabbonim
says the shomer Shabbos public will not allow the
honor of Shabbos to be trampled underfoot and will stand
guard over the Shabbos and kovod Shomayim based on the
directives of gedolei Yisroel shlita.
