El Al announced that they will carry iPads fully loaded with Artscroll’s library between NYC and Tel Aviv. The iPads will features the entire Schottenstein Edition of Talmud – the English and Hebrew versions, the Schottenstein Elucidated Mishnah, the Ryzman Mishna, the Safra Chumashim in English, Hebrew and French, as well as dozens of other seforim and books. It will function without the need for an internet connection.
El Al currently has Daf Yomi available on their in-flight entertainment screens, but the iPads will have a much more robust content catalog.
The iPads will be free through 5/31, and will then be available for rent for $12.99 per flight.
El Al tells me that they will initially carry about a dozen iPads per flight, and will adjust that number based on demand. You can request an iPad onboard from a flight attendant for free during the intro period, but the goal will be to allow customers to reserve iPads in advance via the duty free offering page.
It’s not quite a Daf Yomi section that I envisioned to help the airline avoid a Dr. Dao type situation in the future, but it’s always good to see an airline trying to cater to its clientele, such as this and trialing set minyan times in the rear galley.
All iPad content is provided for free by Artscroll.
Will you use an iPad like this onboard a flight? What amenities would you like to see El Al add next?
Many apps have this kind of material (in Hebrew, anyway) for free: Yesod, for example.
A lot of the people who would want to use this service don’t have smart phones
Yesod is a struggle.
Yesodei does not have ArtScroll English/Hebrew translation. Or the notes.
I don’t need El Al to provide any sort of Ipad or any other form of entertainment, but I do have to say that I just flew Elal after avoiding them for more than ten years and it was a qualitatively different experience than my last.
1 – Plane was really nice, upgraded, and clean.
2 – Service was top-notch
3 – Food was blah but not worse than others
4 – Boarding and everything else was hassle-free
I was in Premium Economy so I expected better than regular economy, but ten years ago, economy plus was a disaster as well.
One down note – their website and app are still dysfunctional.
But I applaud their efforts to win back the public.
Mark, commentor #4, you are right on the money! They’ve cleaned up their act BIG TIME. In fact, bearing dual citizenship, I flew with ElAl throughout Covid numerous times and each time it was a pleasure. I did travel just 3 weeks ago though but their price was so outrageously high that I opted for American Airlines which for that flight was in excess of $1,000 cheaper. I regretted it. I did save a grand but boy was that a tell-tale sign to me how much better ElAl has become. If they can only keep their prices reasonable, they’ve got my business. I do travel 6-7round trips each year.
Finally! A Jewish airline we can be proud of!
Is this an Onion headline?
Are they more friendlier to chareidim these days?
Sounds Great! I wish they add TorahAnyTime…
I wish! but if they want to have it work offline they would have to have HUGE capacity and update it before every flight.
Right, this won’t happen
These guys sound fabulous. What a great thing to do. It seems they are trying anything and everything in a realistic way to improve things. lol hakovod
Minyanim for people that need to say Kadish
is this a purim joke??
Why are they charging if artscroll is giving it for free?
Artscroll is giving the content for free. The iPad still costs money.
לא ירעו ולא ישחיתו בכל הר קדשי כי מלאה הארץ דעה את ה כמים לים מכסים
this is a really cute initiative but it’s all a distraction imho from the fact that the company is still being Mechalel Shabbos
Heter mechira?
Dan, I’m a journalist and I’m writing an article about EL AL’s efforts to woo (back?) religious Jews by offering a more religion-friendly experience. Would love to interview you. Would also love to hear from passengers who are seeking a more authentic Jewish experience by flying EL AL. Ability to pray in a minyan, etc.
Great! How do we contact you?
a daf yomi section is discriminatory. cannot exclude people from reserving certain seats.
All are welcome (encouraged in fact) to learn the daf!
And that’s the problem…
I flew on British airways around seven years ago and they gave our iPads at no charge..
I wish they would add Torah live on the Ipads as well.
(they used to have it in the IFE, but they took it off, for some reason)