With Avi Posnick (far left) are five “Blue and White El Al Ambassadors”, UJA Greenwich CEO Pam Ehrenkranz, and Doug Saper.

On April 29, five El Al Israel Airlines flight attendants talked about their home country at an event sponsored by UJA-Greenwich and held at a private home in Greenwich. The event was part of a new intiative called “Blue and White El Al Ambassadors” – created by El Al, in partnership with StandWithUs, the Jewish Agency for Israel and Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs – to train pilots and flight personnel as good-will ambassadors who volunteer to educate others about Israel during their layovers. The program was begun in 2011, with events on campuses and communities in New York and Los Angeles. The El Al personnel entertain and inform with stories about life in Israel, their funny and not-so-funny experiences in the air and answer myriad questions.

“We are one family. That’s the feeling you get when speaking to Jewish passengers on the plane and Jews from other countries, who are always welcoming and grateful to see us represent them,” said Crewman Elia. Born in the United Kingdom, Crewman Danny wanted a desk job in the Israeli army and instead became a paratrooper and then a flight attendant. “Since making aliya in 2006,” he said, “I am continuously fascinated by the diversity of the people who make up the country of Israel.”

“We thank UJA-Greenwich for their partnership on this event,” said Avi Posnick, regional coordinator East Coast for StandWithUs. “We look forward to bringing this incredible and unique program to more communities around the region.”

With Avi Posnick (far left) are five “Blue and White El Al Ambassadors”, UJA Greenwich CEO Pam Ehrenkranz, and Doug Saper.