With the battle surrounding Shabbos candle lighting speakers in Charish ongoing, and the municipal council having confiscated the speakers police responded to an inquiry by attorney Michael Litvak of the ‘B’Tzelmo‘ organization that there is no law preventing the sounding of the speakers to mark candle lighting time.

Police Superintendent Amit Dayan, the police ombudsman in the Coastal Council, responded to a query by Litvak, informing him that in accordance with the law, there is no law prohibiting the sounding of sirens at candle lighting time for as long as this is in line with regulations set forth by a local council.

Litvak is confident “justice will emerge the winner”, in his battle to have the speakers returned, explaining that not only is sounding the sirens not a violation of the law, but those opposing the sirens have no legal basis; as they simply wish to have their will imposed on others, contrary to freedom of religion and culture.

Attorney Litvak is now confident that Charish City Hall and other municipalities will cease to harass those wishing to sound sirens on erev Shabbos.

Officials from the B’Tzelmo organization add, “As has been claimed all along, chareidim also have basic rights which have been compromised without justification. We praise the decision of Israel Police and will continue to support the rights of the religious and chareidi communities to live in accordance with their lifestyle in every place and time. It is unacceptable that religious rights and freedom of worship of Israelis from the religious and chareidi communities are compromised”.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)