A few months ago, my family and I traveled to Morocco for the hilulah of Rabbi Yitzchak Abuchatzeira on י״ד שבט. We flew with Iberia Airlines from JFK in New York to Madrid, Spain, and were scheduled to continue from there to Marrakesh. However, our connecting flight was unexpectedly canceled, and Iberia rebooked us on a different airline: Air Arabia Maroc. When we boarded the new flight and took our seats, we quickly noticed that nearly everyone on the plane was Arab, and the airline was clearly an Arabic airline. Naturally, we were nervous. The situation was unfamiliar, and once the doors were closed, switching flights was no longer an option. We stayed on board, quietly davening and hoping b’ezrat Hashem we’d arrive safely. Then something remarkable happened. Before takeoff, the pilot spoke over the plane’s intercom for several minutes. As Moroccans, we understood Arabic, and were surprised to realize he was reciting an extended version of Tefilat HaDerech, thanking G-d for the miracle of air travel, asking Him to protect the passengers and crew, and to safeguard our families back home until we return to them in peace and health. When we landed safely, I approached the pilot with my son and thanked him for reciting Tefilat HaDerech. His response left a deep impression on me. He thanked us for acknowledging it and said, “This is standard for me—and for our airline. Every pilot here says this prayer before every flight.” We parted ways and headed into the terminal. But his words stayed with me. And I couldn’t stop thinking: If an Arab airline—representing a religion we do not share—can publicly acknowledge G-d and ask for His protection before every flight, why can’t El Al do the same? El Al is not just an airline. It represents the State of Israel, the Jewish people, and is often filled with religious passengers who themselves quietly recite Tefilas HaDerech as the plane begins to taxi. But why should it be silent? Why can’t a Jewish pilot—or a flight attendant, or even a recording—recite Tefilas HaDerech for everyone to hear, in Hebrew or in English, and ask Hashem for a safe journey? We are a people of emunah. We are proud to be Jews. And in a time when other nations openly invoke G-d’s protection—even in commercial settings—shouldn’t we, as Jews flying on Israel’s national airline, do the same? Signed, D.A. The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.   | Read More The Yeshiva World