Thanksgiving might be just another day on the road for school bus drivers in one New Jersey town.
Lakewood is asking drivers to work in order to transport 18,000 Orthodox Jewish students to and from their private schools in the township.
The schools previously waived their right to busing on Thanksgiving.
But Lakewood school board attorney Michael Inzelbuch tells the Asbury Park Press no such waiver has been offered. Inzelbuch says he continues to see whether the schools would be flexible about busing on the holiday.
Rabbi Moshe Weisberg told the newspaper carpooling has become a safety issue because the Orthodox community has grown.
Inzelbuch says he would personally pay to provide a pumpkin pie or dessert to the bus drivers who work on Thanksgiving.
(Source: NJ Star Ledger)
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14 Responses
i think its wrong to make them work on their holiday. I think it borderlines on chillul hashen that we are making a stink that WE ARE OPEN TODAY, as if we run the world
Bad politics. How do we feel if someone asks us to work on their religious holidays (and Thanksgiving is a religious holiday – it isn’t Obama they are giving thanks to).
I don’t think it’s wrong! Would you say it’s wrong that a boss fired you for not working on Shabbos if the job you had required you to do so?!?
I want to add it is a chiulul Hashem and our children are going to have to board busses and be exposed to drivers who are less than happy that day; even out and out resentful.
This is what happens when you have board members and a board attorney who deep down do not care about public schools.
How foolish to create a machloikes in this town that will last way after Thursday is over. Thanksgiving is a very big holiday for non-Jews as they enter their holiday season.
The BOE decision is wrong, it is not Jewish as we are showing zero rachmanos (the pie offering is an insult and arrogant).
The day should be handled like a day where it snowed and busses could not operate so parents would have to arrange for their own transportation.
In light of what is going on in Brooklyn, those involved with forcing this issue are irresponsible, wreckless, and showing no signs of capable leadership.
It should be on a volunteer basis and they should be paid holiday pay at least time and a half.
Maybe posting articles of this nature should be avoided. They possibly could have negativity resulting from them.
If you dont think this is a chilul hashem go read the story on the asbury park press website and read the comments.
#6 I think this if this article is true, the chillul Hashem has been made already. At least when people see that reaction among the readers of this site is strongly in sympathy with the drivers, it might work to mitigate it. I do not believe this article is true, as I can not believe that the leadership of these schools can be so dumb….
I just hope every LAkewood parents sends a huge Xman present on Thanksgiving!
This is sick and its all part of the entitlment mentality that gives Torah learning a bad name. Almost everyone has cars in Lakewood. What would be so bad if e/o did carpool???
The “frum” in our community are trying to see to it that the goyim are mekayeim the halacha of “esav sone l’yisroel” with all the hiddurim. So what could be wrong with that?
How about having Yidden drive the busses on Legal Holidays? Get a bunch of parents who would be willing to drive the busses. Give them detailed maps of all the stops and let the Non Jewish drivers have there day off!
#11. You need special licenses to drive a bus
Although I feel bad for the bus drivers on a personal level for having to work, realistically it is a “very dangerous” situation when all the children in Lakewood have to be transported by car. Those that live in the town area or that learn in Bais Aaron or Bais Shalom know quite well about the sakonas nefoshos involved.
A different issue to think about, is if the bus drivers would have off, do we give off all the janitors and kitchen help? Where does it end? Do we just close the mosdos for the day, due to lack of workers???
If they want to drive on their holiday (small “h”) they will probably get time & a half or even double time. The bottom line is, it should be their choice unless it was already negotiated into the contract.