With the Eida Chareidis and Jerusalem’s chareidi community up in arms over the chilul shabbos involving the Carta parking lot, opposing the shift in the so-called religious status quo, there appears to be another front opening on the kedushas shabbos battlefield.

Despite efforts by askanim to prevent this Shabbos’ opening of the 24-7 Supermarket in the center of town, the supermarket did indeed operate on the Holy Day.

Rav Yosef Rosenfeld, who heads the Vaad L’Ma’an Shabbos visited the area. He was shocked to see the store operating as it does on a weekday, representing a blatant betrayal of an understanding reached between the store’s owners and chareidi representatives R’ Yosef Deutsch and R’ Shlomo Rosenstein, with city officials mediating the understanding.

Chareidi officials learned the store located at the corners of Shlomtzion HaMalka and Shlomo HaMelech was planning to open and immediately acted to intervene to prevent a further decline in shmiras shabbos in the capital r”l.

Notification was made immediately to Councilmen Deutsch and Rosenstein, both taking prompt action; contacting store owners in the hope of reaching agreement and preventing the chilul shabbos. The councilmen immediately turned to City Hall, informing officials of the planned chilul shabbos, adding this is a direct result of City Hall’s decision to operate a parking lot of shabbos, both representing a serious infraction of the long-standing religious status quo. They explained they expect the city to act to prevent the store from opening its doors in the heart of downtown Yerushalayim, an act that would result in harsh ramifications.

City licensing and business bureau officials sent a letter to store owners warning that opening on shabbos would compel the city to use the weight of the law against them. The process also revealed the business does not even have an operating license and as such, a closure order may be issued immediately. The owners were warned that opening on shabbos would result in a closure order.

HaMevaser points out that while the owners promised to comply, the store’s name is 24-7 and it does not even have a door to lock. The owners nevertheless promised to close and to place a private security guard towards complying as required. City Hall officials and askanim alike were pleased that their quick and aggressive response prevented the chilul shabbos.

Rav Rosenfeld was however pained and surprised when he arrived on Friday night and then again during the day on shabbos, seeing the store in full operational mode.

Immediately following shabbos, R’ Deutsch went into action, calling on city officials to use the full weight of the law in response, no less than is being used against the frum yidden in Kiryat Yovel and other areas of the city.

Deutsch, in his sharply worded letter, explained he will not stand by and tolerate “selective enforcement”, detailing that while the city acts with an iron-fist policy to close unauthorized minyanim, the same zealous attitude must be used to enforce the laws protecting the shabbos status-quo. He went as far as to threaten that if the city fails to act, he will take his case to court, rejecting a discriminatory policy that enforces the law against shomer shabbos residents while turning a blind eye to cater to the secularists.

Mayor Nir Barkat reports the matter has been turned over to city legal officials for prompt attention in accordance to the law.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)