A Man’s Wife Goes Into Labor, El Al Goes The Extra Mile

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I am not someone that posts publicly often, but my recent experience on an EL AL אל על flight was so special that I wanted to take the opportunity to thank them publicly.

I flew into New York Monday morning for what was meant to be a two week trip for work. On Monday afternoon I received a call from my wife back in Israel (who was pregnant in her 8th month) that her water broke and she was going to labor. I immediately went back to JFK airport and was able to book a seat on the flight that night to return to Israel. When we took off from JFK at 11:50pm that night, my wife was in the middle of labor, and I had no idea what was going to happen.

With no wifi on the flight, I wasnt sure what I could do- I decided a few hours into the flight to approach one of the stewardesses, and after explaining to her that my wife was in labor (and clarifying that she was NOT on the plane) I asked if there was any part of the plane that had wifi so that I could check for any updates. She told me that there was no wifi on the plane but she asked for Shifra’s information- including what hospital she was in, her phone number- and said she would see what she can do.

I sat back down and began davening, not really sure what to expect. Ten minutes later the stewardess comes back to me with a tray that had on it a glass of wine and some chocolates and said “Mazel Tov, your wife had a baby boy- and everything is doing well!!”. Apparently, the pilot from the cockpit called Shifra on her cell phone on my behalf to ask how she was doing and for any updates, and Shifra was able to update him (after a minute of being in shock at being called from the cockpit of an airplane in flight).

Needless to say, this act of chessed was extremely special for both myself and Shifra- for me to be able to be updated on what was going on, and for Shifra to know that I was able to find out. We are so grateful to the staff at El Al for going above and beyond!

May we all continue to share only simchos!

{Matzav.com}


18 COMMENTS

  1. Its about time some courtesy was practiced by ELAL. The reason it is news is that it is unusual especially for a Chareidy Jew to get any courtesy on ELAL. Lets hope its a turning point.

    • I am probably as “Chareidy” as the baal simcha, based on the above picture. I have been fortunate to fly back and forth several times over the past few years for simchos and have never experienced anything other than professionalism and respect from the El Al flight crew, including when I asked for a mehadrin meal or needed to stand in the aisle to put on talis and tefilin. Some folks just seem to feel it’s necessary to interject snide comments into a nice story.

      Mazal tov to the happy parents & thank you for posting a nice story.

  2. That was a beautiful chesed, doubt if any other airline besides ElAl would have made that effort.
    & thank you for posting.

  3. ZoWeZ5/Ig3zqzyIEQNR1Z29R1StN1EcjHNA7OUQM2gU
    I’m not getting in to the kashrus of the wine but you have no idea what your talking about. Even if she is mumar (which she is not – maybe you should learn first before excercising your tongue ) the wine is mevushal so its not a problem. Did you never drink wine at a wedding or any other occasion that the waiters handled? Just because you don’t know much doesn’t mean you should advertise it.

    • But according to a certain Rabbi in Chicago, if you don’t have your children vaccinated, then if you touched the wine it WOULD become assur. Hmmm, didn’t we hear the same thing when the so-called Boro Park eruv came out? Whoever carries is pasul li’eidus. From now on, make sure whoever handles your wine, is up to date with all their vaccinations. Otherwise, eerrrrrrrrrr, they’re pasul li’aidus.

  4. Why am I not surprised!! Anonymous poster #4, said it just as it is! They are Yidden and must be accorded kavod habriyos no less than you and me! Their cheshbon with the Ribbono Shel Olam is none of anybody’s business! “WE” are not Hashem and we have our chiyov of ahavas Yisrael regardless. ELAL personnel are for the most wonderful people and I try only to fly with them. They are particularly respectful with niftorim and their families. Ask any Chevra Kadisha who deals with them.

  5. interesting, I had a very similar story, back 4 years ago my wife was also in her 8th month and I went to EY with 2 of my sons for the 2nd days of sukkos, which was a 3 day yomtov which the last day was a shabbos. I was scheduled to return to the states on Monday and my wife went into labor on Sunday morning. understandably, the busiest travel day from EY to the states is the day after sukkos so I went straight to Ben Gurion and showed the back and forth emails to the United management how my wife was in labor (being that I had a united ticket and I travel a substantial amount with them) to get me onto a flight. Even more so, 1 of my sons had a actual ticket for the Sunday noon flight which he was in the airport and willing to give up his seat, but they wouldn’t do a stitch. with no choice I went over to a EL AL representative and as soon as she saw the emails she put me onto the next flight.

  6. My brother in law a Chassidishe Yerushalmi was on board in Lod airport, when was told that his Mother passed away. he let the stewardess know, and was send off the plane back to the with honor and courtesy, they all empathized with him and were menachem him.

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