Continuing its efforts to provide high-level service to its customers, EL AL has debuted a new feature on its flights between New York/New Jersey and Tel Aviv—access to ArtScroll’s full digital library.
EL AL began offering the devices last week, with approximately 10 iPads available on each flight on a first-come, first-served basis. No internet connection will be needed for the iPads, whose content includes the full Schottenstein Talmud in both Hebrew and English, the Schottenstein Mishnah Elucidated, the Ryzman Edition Hebrew Mishnayos, the Edmond J. Safra Digital Chumashim in English, Hebrew and French and dozens of other seforim and books from the ArtScroll Digital Library. The iPad program is available at no charge through May 31, with a $12.99 fee being charged after that time. EL AL will be considering adding in additional routes and more devices per plan over the coming weeks based on passenger demand.
The partnership between EL AL and ArtScroll began with a conversation that took place between Rabbi Nosson Joseph, executive director of the Yeshiva of Telshe Alumni in Riverdale, and Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz, president of ArtScroll Mesorah Publications. Rabbi Joseph shared that he had just returned from a trip to Israel and noticed that many of the passengers on his flight seemed bored, and that even people who might not normally watch movies were doing so just to pass the time. Rabbi Zlotowitz suggested ArtScroll iPads as an alternative to provide passengers with a more meaningful and productive in-flight experience, giving one to Rabbi Joseph to show to EL AL owner Kenny Rozenberg.
“He loved it,” Rabbi Zlotowitz told The Jewish Link. “I told him if they want to put them on the planes, we would load the content onto their iPads for free.”
For ArtScroll, it was a win-win situation, and an opportunity to perpetuate the legacy of its founder, Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, at even higher heights.
“People are going to be able to learn Torah wherever they go, and that is what matters most to us,” explained Rabbi Zlotowitz.
The program dovetailed perfectly with EL AL’s ongoing strategy of appealing to every segment of its core group of flyers, which includes the Orthodox Jewish and the secular Jewish communities, Arab passengers and members of the high-tech industry. Shlomi Am Shalom, vice president of digital marketing and communications for EL AL, said that the airline was excited to add the iPads to its offerings to accommodate the preferences of its Orthodox Jewish passengers. Currently, EL AL’s in-flight entertainment system already includes Daf Yomi as well as a special package featuring well known Israeli radio broadcaster and music director Menachem Toker, and the airline also debuted a trial run of in-flight minyanim last month.
Other recent EL AL additions to better cater to passengers’ individual tastes have included updating its entertainment system to be more current for its chiloni flyers and multiple innovations for Arabic passengers, with an option available to translate its entire website into Arabic and Arabic content in its in-flight entertainment system. Additional services for Israel’s fast growing high-tech sector are also expected as well.
“We want to give every passenger the perfect in-flight experience,” said Am Shalom.
Sandy Eller is a freelance writer who writes for websites, newspapers, magazines and private clients. She can be contacted at [email protected].
