Author: BenG

Over the past week we’ve been checking the tracking on a couple dozen orders we shipped out — and every time, it’s a bit heartbreaking. Most parcels have been scanned, processed, and cleared for export… but none have actually left the country yet. They’re all sitting in a warehouse at Ben Gurion Airport, waiting for space on a plane.

As many of you know, Israel is deep in a war right now. Sirens go off day and night, interceptions happen overhead, and missile fragments fall back down to earth. What’s less obvious from abroad is how much this affects air traffic. In short: most planes in the skies aren’t passenger or cargo aircraft — they’re military jets flying to and from missions over Iran and Lebanon. Passenger flights have dropped to a tiny fraction of normal levels.

If you check the Ben Gurion arrivals/departures board, you’ll see the difference immediately. Instead of one or two dozen flights per hour, we’re seeing one or two dozen per day, almost all Israeli carriers (El Al, Arkia, Haifa Air) or occasional charter flights. (BTW, my niece managed to snag a seat on one tonight. If all goes well she’ll be home in New York for Shabbos. But a lot of would-be travelers are finding it hard to leave.)

How things normally work

In calmer times, express couriers like UPS, DHL, and FedEx (we use UPS) operate their own planes. They’re independent and don’t need to rely on passenger airlines. International mail, however — First Class, Priority Mail, EMS — travels in the spare cargo space of passenger flights.

How things are working now

Right now, the situation is flipped. The express carriers aren’t flying their own planes at all… but they’ve been remarkably resourceful in finding alternative ways to get parcels out of Israel. Surprisingly, their delivery times remain pretty solid.

Israel Post, on the other hand, doesn’t have those kinds of logistical tricks available. At first, we honestly assumed international mail wouldn’t be going anywhere for quite a while. But then we received this hopeful update from our Israel Post liaison:

אנו שמחים לעדכן כי משלוחי היצוא התחילו להישלח מדואר ישראל לחו“ל באופן הדרגתי וגובר, ככל שהמצב יאפשר. בימים האחרונים אנו עמלים על מנת לתת שירותי מיטבי וכבר החלו לצאת משלוחים ראשונים לחו“ל, נמשיך ונשלח בכמויות גדולות ככל הניתן גם במהלך השבוע. המשלוחים יוצאים ברובם בשיטת FIFO (ראשונים להיקלט – הם הראשונים לצאת) עם העדפה למשלוחי האקספרס EMS.

That notice, in English, reads: “We are pleased to update that export shipments have begun to be sent abroad from Israel Post, gradually and increasingly, as the situation allows. In recent days we have been working hard to provide optimal service, and the first shipments abroad have already begun to go out. We will continue to send in as large quantities as possible throughout the week. Most shipments are being dispatched using the FIFO method (first received – first sent), with priority given to EMS express shipments.”

Encouraged by that, we pushed hard to get all outgoing orders processed on schedule — even knowing things would move slowly — because with FIFO handling, getting parcels “into the line” early could help.

Unfortunately, despite that update, we’re still not seeing movement. Even parcels we shipped 10 days ago are still sitting at Ben Gurion.

Our customers’ patience means a lot

The vast majority of you have been incredibly understanding. You know what we’re living with here — air-raid sirens, missile barrages, an entire country half shut down — and no one writes in saying, “Not my problem, where’s my order?” Still, it takes real patience to accept that this isn’t the usual “add a week to the shipping time.” It’s an open‑ended delay: potentially 2–3 weeks of mail sacks gathering dust, then a bottleneck as the backlog gets cleared, and then the regular shipping time on top of that.

A bright spot

Express shipping continues to shine. Reviewing our data, even in the middle of a war zone, UPS deliveries are usually arriving in about 3–4 business days after dispatch. Truly impressive.

Bottom line

We’re frustrated — just like you — to see international mail stuck at the airport with no clear timeline. But at the same time, we’re encouraged by how well UPS is coping under intense pressure, and incredibly grateful for your patience and empathy as we navigate this very unusual moment.

As soon as Israel Post starts getting mail sacks onto planes again, you’ll be the first to know.

Over the past week we’ve been checking the tracking on a couple dozen orders we shipped out — and every time, it’s a bit heartbreaking. Most parcels have been scanned, processed, and cleared for export… but none have actually left the country yet. They’re all sitting in a warehouse at Ben Gurion Airport, waiting for space on a plane.

As many of you know, Israel is deep in a war right now. Sirens go off day and night, interceptions happen overhead, and missile fragments fall back down to earth. What’s less obvious from abroad is how much this affects air traffic. In short: most planes in the skies aren’t passenger or cargo aircraft — they’re military jets flying to and from missions over Iran and Lebanon. Passenger flights have dropped to a tiny fraction of normal levels.

If you check the Ben Gurion arrivals/departures board, you’ll see the difference immediately. Instead of one or two dozen flights per hour, we’re seeing one or two dozen per day, almost all Israeli carriers (El Al, Arkia, Haifa Air) or occasional charter flights. (BTW, my niece managed to snag a seat on one tonight. If all goes well she’ll be home in New York for Shabbos. But a lot of would-be travelers are finding it hard to leave.)

How things normally work

In calmer times, express couriers like UPS, DHL, and FedEx (we use UPS) operate their own planes. They’re independent and don’t need to rely on passenger airlines. International mail, however — First Class, Priority Mail, EMS — travels in the spare cargo space of passenger flights.

How things are working now

Right now, the situation is flipped. The express carriers aren’t flying their own planes at all… but they’ve been remarkably resourceful in finding alternative ways to get parcels out of Israel. Surprisingly, their delivery times remain pretty solid.

Israel Post, on the other hand, doesn’t have those kinds of logistical tricks available. At first, we honestly assumed international mail wouldn’t be going anywhere for quite a while. But then we received this hopeful update from our Israel Post liaison:

אנו שמחים לעדכן כי משלוחי היצוא התחילו להישלח מדואר ישראל לחו“ל באופן הדרגתי וגובר, ככל שהמצב יאפשר. בימים האחרונים אנו עמלים על מנת לתת שירותי מיטבי וכבר החלו לצאת משלוחים ראשונים לחו“ל, נמשיך ונשלח בכמויות גדולות ככל הניתן גם במהלך השבוע. המשלוחים יוצאים ברובם בשיטת FIFO (ראשונים להיקלט – הם הראשונים לצאת) עם העדפה למשלוחי האקספרס EMS.

That notice, in English, reads: “We are pleased to update that export shipments have begun to be sent abroad from Israel Post, gradually and increasingly, as the situation allows. In recent days we have been working hard to provide optimal service, and the first shipments abroad have already begun to go out. We will continue to send in as large quantities as possible throughout the week. Most shipments are being dispatched using the FIFO method (first received – first sent), with priority given to EMS express shipments.”

Encouraged by that, we pushed hard to get all outgoing orders processed on schedule — even knowing things would move slowly — because with FIFO handling, getting parcels “into the line” early could help.

Unfortunately, despite that update, we’re still not seeing movement. Even parcels we shipped 10 days ago are still sitting at Ben Gurion.

Our customers’ patience means a lot

The vast majority of you have been incredibly understanding. You know what we’re living with here — air-raid sirens, missile barrages, an entire country half shut down — and no one writes in saying, “Not my problem, where’s my order?” Still, it takes real patience to accept that this isn’t the usual “add a week to the shipping time.” It’s an open‑ended delay: potentially 2–3 weeks of mail sacks gathering dust, then a bottleneck as the backlog gets cleared, and then the regular shipping time on top of that.

A bright spot

Express shipping continues to shine. Reviewing our data, even in the middle of a war zone, UPS deliveries are usually arriving in about 3–4 business days after dispatch. Truly impressive.

Bottom line

We’re frustrated — just like you — to see international mail stuck at the airport with no clear timeline. But at the same time, we’re encouraged by how well UPS is coping under intense pressure, and incredibly grateful for your patience and empathy as we navigate this very unusual moment.

As soon as Israel Post starts getting mail sacks onto planes again, you’ll be the first to know.

Updated: 5 Mar. 2026

Over the past 24 hours, the situation has shifted in an unexpected — and very positive — direction.

Just after posting our original update yesterday, we received confirmation from two separate UPS client support contacts that UPS has activated an alternative air‑export solution. They did not detail the mechanics, but the official UPS notice states:

Export: As previously published, the air‑export solution is already operating, and pickups can be scheduled. Due to the situation, timelines are flexible and delivery times to various destinations may be extended.

This is very encouraging news, especially considering that until yesterday it appeared that no packages at all would leave Israel until the airspace fully reopens.

---

When will Israel’s airspace reopen?

While no one can give an exact timeline, based on both June 2025 precedent and current Home Front Command directives, the earliest estimate remains around a week from now — approximately 22 Adar / 11 March.

Typically the reopening is gradual:

• Step 1: 24–48 hours with zero long‑range missile launches
• Step 2: Another 1–3 days until full opening
• Step 3: El Al and Arkia typically resume first
• Step 4: Courier planes (UPS, DHL, FedEx)
• Step 5: Commercial airlines

That last step is of course what stranded would-be travelers have been waiting for, but it’s also signficant for international mail, which relies very heavily on space in the cargo holds of commercial flights.

---

So How Is UPS Shipping Right Now?

UPS hasn’t shared operational details, but here is what we expect based on experience and logistics reality:

• Parcels may not be loaded onto outbound aircraft the same evening as pickup (which is very common during peacetime).
• Expect 1–2 additional business days inside Israel before parcels actually depart.
• Aircraft space will be limited, and routing will likely be less direct.

Under normal conditions, UPS worldwide deliveries take 2-4 business days. Realistically, we now expect 3-6 business days for most destinations.

Considering the circumstances, this is extremely good news — far better than the scenario where no outbound shipments leave Israel for one to two weeks.

To make this option available to more of our customers — especially with Passover on the horizon — we lowered our UPS shipping fee temporarily.

---

And What About the First Class and Priority Shipping Options?

First Class and EMS/Priority are international mail, not courier. That means for the first leg of the journey they are handled by Israel Post, and rely largely on cargo space in the holds of passenger planes. With passenger flights down to a bare minimum, that means mail parcels are trickling out very slowly. During periods of critical freight restrictions, Israel Post certainly makes an effort to do what they can, but they simply do not have the logistal resources and means which couriers like UPS have at their disposal.

• Mail sacks are getting picked up from our office three times per week, as usual
• Scanning an export clearance may take slightly longer than usual
• With aircraft space extremely limited parcels might be grounded at the airport for weeks

Parcels sent EMS/Priority are given…you guessed right: priority. But that still doesn’t mean we can rely on them to get on a plane within a few days.

And even if air traffic is fully opened sometime soon, based on past experience, including the coronavirus and last’s summer’s Iran war, when the airspace does fully reopen there will naturally be a bottleneck for international mail as logistics teams work through accumulated volume.

Therefore, if your order is time sensitive, you’ll definitely want to consider our UPS option, which has not been significantly slowed down. 

---

How We’re Preparing Your Orders

Besides the shipping issues above, our order preparation is very close to normal peacetime operations. We are continuing to:

• Tie tzitzit
• Sewing and embroidery work
• Pack orders
• Prepare shipping labels
• Arrange pickups

---

Order volume & customer awareness

Interestingly, order volume this week has been quite brisk. Many customers seem to understand that delays are unavoidable during national emergencies. Others may not have realized that Israel’s airspace has been largely shut and may not have seen the notices we posted on our website.

During Operation Rising Lion last year, many customers intentionally placed orders specifically to support Israeli businesses during difficult moments — something we’ve never forgotten and deeply appreciate.

---

If You Cannot Wait

We completely understand that some customers need their items quickly and cannot tolerate an uncertain timeline. If that applies to you, email us at customer.care@garsan-judaica.com and we can discuss the possibility of upgrading existing order to UPS.

Updated: 5 Mar. 2026

Over the past 24 hours, the situation has shifted in an unexpected — and very positive — direction.

Just after posting our original update yesterday, we received confirmation from two separate UPS client support contacts that UPS has activated an alternative air‑export solution. They did not detail the mechanics, but the official UPS notice states:

Export: As previously published, the air‑export solution is already operating, and pickups can be scheduled. Due to the situation, timelines are flexible and delivery times to various destinations may be extended.

This is very encouraging news, especially considering that until yesterday it appeared that no packages at all would leave Israel until the airspace fully reopens.

---

When will Israel’s airspace reopen?

While no one can give an exact timeline, based on both June 2025 precedent and current Home Front Command directives, the earliest estimate remains around a week from now — approximately 22 Adar / 11 March.

Typically the reopening is gradual:

• Step 1: 24–48 hours with zero long‑range missile launches
• Step 2: Another 1–3 days until full opening
• Step 3: El Al and Arkia typically resume first
• Step 4: Courier planes (UPS, DHL, FedEx)
• Step 5: Commercial airlines

That last step is of course what stranded would-be travelers have been waiting for, but it’s also signficant for international mail, which relies very heavily on space in the cargo holds of commercial flights.

---

So How Is UPS Shipping Right Now?

UPS hasn’t shared operational details, but here is what we expect based on experience and logistics reality:

• Parcels may not be loaded onto outbound aircraft the same evening as pickup (which is very common during peacetime).
• Expect 1–2 additional business days inside Israel before parcels actually depart.
• Aircraft space will be limited, and routing will likely be less direct.

Under normal conditions, UPS worldwide deliveries take 2-4 business days. Realistically, we now expect 3-6 business days for most destinations.

Considering the circumstances, this is extremely good news — far better than the scenario where no outbound shipments leave Israel for one to two weeks.

To make this option available to more of our customers — especially with Passover on the horizon — we lowered our UPS shipping fee temporarily.

---

And What About the First Class and Priority Shipping Options?

First Class and EMS/Priority are international mail, not courier. That means for the first leg of the journey they are handled by Israel Post, and rely largely on cargo space in the holds of passenger planes. With passenger flights down to a bare minimum, that means mail parcels are trickling out very slowly. During periods of critical freight restrictions, Israel Post certainly makes an effort to do what they can, but they simply do not have the logistal resources and means which couriers like UPS have at their disposal.

• Mail sacks are getting picked up from our office three times per week, as usual
• Scanning an export clearance may take slightly longer than usual
• With aircraft space extremely limited parcels might be grounded at the airport for weeks

Parcels sent EMS/Priority are given…you guessed right: priority. But that still doesn’t mean we can rely on them to get on a plane within a few days.

And even if air traffic is fully opened sometime soon, based on past experience, including the coronavirus and last’s summer’s Iran war, when the airspace does fully reopen there will naturally be a bottleneck for international mail as logistics teams work through accumulated volume.

Therefore, if your order is time sensitive, you’ll definitely want to consider our UPS option, which has not been significantly slowed down. 

---

How We’re Preparing Your Orders

Besides the shipping issues above, our order preparation is very close to normal peacetime operations. We are continuing to:

• Tie tzitzit
• Sewing and embroidery work
• Pack orders
• Prepare shipping labels
• Arrange pickups

---

Order volume & customer awareness

Interestingly, order volume this week has been quite brisk. Many customers seem to understand that delays are unavoidable during national emergencies. Others may not have realized that Israel’s airspace has been largely shut and may not have seen the notices we posted on our website.

During Operation Rising Lion last year, many customers intentionally placed orders specifically to support Israeli businesses during difficult moments — something we’ve never forgotten and deeply appreciate.

---

If You Cannot Wait

We completely understand that some customers need their items quickly and cannot tolerate an uncertain timeline. If that applies to you, email us at customer.care@garsan-judaica.com and we can discuss the possibility of upgrading existing order to UPS.

Dateline Shushan Purim (4 Mar.)

Note: This post is somewhat dated. Refer to more up-to-date posts.

When is the Israeli airspace likely to reopen? While no one can give an exact timeline, we can draw on both June 2025 precedent and current Home Front Command procedures. Our guess is that it will be around a week from now, at the earliest — which takes us to 22 Adar / 11 March. And whenever it does happen, the process is gradual. Based on both June 2025 precedent and current doctrine the skies will open when we see zero long-range missile launches for 24-48 hours, then it’ll be another 1-3 days until the airspace fully opens, with Israeli airlines (El Al and Arkia) typically lead the reopening, followed by courier planes and then commercial airlines.

For now, we’re tying tzitzit and processing orders as best we can,so that once flights resume, your order will be among the first out the door as soon as shipping becomes feasible, based on the situation here on the ground. Customers should keep in mind that when flights resume, there’s invariably some bottlenecking for a few days, ’til the shipping company can find plane space for all of the accumulated grounded shipments.

We noticed the rate of orders this week has actually been quite brisk. Our assumption is that most customers are aware that delays are inevitable, however it could be for others it didn’t occur to them at all that the Israeli airspace is completely shut down and they did not come across the notices which we posted on our web store (here and here and here) explaining what to expect.

During Operation Rising Lion last year, we had customers who deliberately placed an order during tough times, as a show of support for Israeli businesses.

On the other hand, we realize that some customers simply do not have the luxury of waiting, so if that applies to you, please contact us at customer.care@garsan-judaica.com, and in most cases, assuming the tzitzit have not been tied, we will arrange a refund, minus the 4% payment‑processing fee charged by our provider.

Dateline Shushan Purim (4 Mar.)

Note: This post is somewhat dated. Refer to more up-to-date posts.

When is the Israeli airspace likely to reopen? While no one can give an exact timeline, we can draw on both June 2025 precedent and current Home Front Command procedures. Our guess is that it will be around a week from now, at the earliest — which takes us to 22 Adar / 11 March. And whenever it does happen, the process is gradual. Based on both June 2025 precedent and current doctrine the skies will open when we see zero long-range missile launches for 24-48 hours, then it’ll be another 1-3 days until the airspace fully opens, with Israeli airlines (El Al and Arkia) typically lead the reopening, followed by courier planes and then commercial airlines.

For now, we’re tying tzitzit and processing orders as best we can,so that once flights resume, your order will be among the first out the door as soon as shipping becomes feasible, based on the situation here on the ground. Customers should keep in mind that when flights resume, there’s invariably some bottlenecking for a few days, ’til the shipping company can find plane space for all of the accumulated grounded shipments.

We noticed the rate of orders this week has actually been quite brisk. Our assumption is that most customers are aware that delays are inevitable, however it could be for others it didn’t occur to them at all that the Israeli airspace is completely shut down and they did not come across the notices which we posted on our web store (here and here and here) explaining what to expect.

During Operation Rising Lion last year, we had customers who deliberately placed an order during tough times, as a show of support for Israeli businesses.

On the other hand, we realize that some customers simply do not have the luxury of waiting, so if that applies to you, please contact us at customer.care@garsan-judaica.com, and in most cases, assuming the tzitzit have not been tied, we will arrange a refund, minus the 4% payment‑processing fee charged by our provider.