+2. I was so disappointed to get a new, clean passport. I had felt like one of those WW II bombers, with all of my missions painted on the nose.

Hmm. Not so good after a while. My pile of stickers was very thick (maybe 80 or so), security kept complaining that it was 'too much'. Eventually one of them ripped off all the stickers without asking (and left a mark on the back).
Another problem is that the automatic border control (with card) takes much longer if you travel a lot - I am thinking that the query is not optimised for frequent tracellers. It takes several minutes to spit out the ishur maavar.

The sheer and utter chutzpah is hilarious.

By passport control?

No (I use electronic passport control). By security before checkin.

2035 - that's strange. As mentioned earlier, I fly often, once every month or two, and have never had the machine take that long before it spit out the border control ticket.
The next time you fly, I'd ask at the customer service center (on the left side of the border control area, not that I need to tell you where it is...)

I think he means the automated security clearance, not immigration clearance.

I may be traveling to TLV for business next week, and I am curious about the likely time I would need to allow for check-in security.

I'm American, but I'm a WASP, not Jewish myself (although my best friend from college deemed me to be "JBA," I suspect that doesn't count with security personnel ;) ). Am I likely to run into a deep dive security review that requires many hours prior to check-in? I'm worried because I'd be going for meetings that will run late into the night before an early AM flight.

Thanks,
Greg

If you're not Jewish, don't tell them you are. They will ask you specific questions you would have to be to answer. (What "parsha" (Torah portion) is it this week; which synagogue do you attend at home; etc.)
2-2.5 hours is plenty. The only reasons I would recommend arriving 3 hours in advance are:

• You have access to the KDL and want to spend time there.
• Lots of duty free shopping
• You want to eat with friends before going through security

As for whether you should expect problems:
Do you have stamps from Arab countries in your passport, and if so, lots? Otherwise, regular American on business should be fine.

I'm not sure 2 hours is plenty.
If it's your first time I'd come 3 hours. (unless you like playing on the edge)

I´d probably recommend arriving at the airport 90min before scheduled boarding time (typically 30min before departure for European flights / up to 60min for US-bound flights), so arriving 2.5h beforehand should be plenty IMO.

That is if you´re a WASP, can prove you were there for business (eg. carry a business invitation letter etc.) and have no Arab stamps in your passport. Otherwise add some extra time.

Thanks, all.

If you were to ask El Al they would tell you 3 hours. Now, you can come 2 hours or 2.5 hours and even 1.5 hours and odds are you would make your flight--but then again, you may not. Personally, I am a chicken and don't like to gamble. I would be there 3 hours before. (unless you are flying business or first)

I find flying out of JFK or YYZ, 2 hours is fine. On my last treck I would even think 1.5 hours would have been fine, except that the airport security(not el al security) was so backlogged, that we stood in line for 30 minutes. But out of TLV, I would suggest 2.5. I find in general that there is alot of schmoozing at BG airport, and that everybody moves in slow motion.

I'm Jewish and would never be able to answer this.