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May 30, 2022
shnorring in unexpected places
I recently flew El Al.
At the end of each flight, the captain announced over the PA system a request that people donate some of their spare change to a specific organization (which I am not naming). The announcement said there would be an envelope in the pouch in front of each seat, but there was no envelope - moments later a flight attendant walked up and down the aisles with a bag for passengers to dump their donations in.
As worthy as that organization is (and it is an organization I have donated to in the past), I was a bit surprised and rankled by the announcement. I really did not need or want El Al to be shnorring from me at that time, at the end of a long, tiring, uncomfortable flight. Even for a great organization. I can give to any organization whenever I want, I do not need El Al's help with that. A lot of money was already paid to El Al - I dont need El Al asking for more, even for just pennies or shekels/agurot.
I know there is nothing wrong with it, and I know I can just choose not to give, and I know if some people give (and they did) it is a good deed done. But still, I dont like to be solicited to. If I were flying for free, and El Al had sponsorships to cover the cost (like free websites have advertising and whatnot), that would be one thing. But if they are not flying me for free, I don't need or want them to then also shnorr from me.
As they say, time and place.
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For a minute there I thought you were going to write that some pushy guy in peyos and langer reckel was walking around saying "Tsedoka, Tsedoka,"
ReplyDeleteRafi - El Al is not the only airline to do something like this - BA collects for an organization called Flying Start on their flights, with a video shown shortly before landing. The thought is that if you're coming back from a foreign country, you may well have some small change in the county you were visiting's currency that would otherwise go into a change cup in your dresser for the next ten years - so you may well be willing to just donate it to some worthy cause.
ReplyDeleteRight, I've seen exactly that on other airlines (I think Air Canada), basically suggesting that if you have cash in a currency that you no longer need, the airline will give to a charity of their choice
DeleteThis is nothing new. El Al has been doing this for years. I always thought it was done in a very low key, no pressure way
ReplyDeleteI admit I dont travel much, and in my occasional travels over the past ten or fifteen years I probably havent flown El Al until now.. it was nt pressure, but still happened..
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