For secular Israelis Saturday is soccer day, the day the nation’s major soccer matches are held, a significant contributory factor to chilul shabbos for Sephardim. These fans, who are by-and-large traditional might keep shabbos to some extent if not for the soccer matches.

Chareidi businessmen from Russia, London and Belgium are contemplating buying the Betar Jerusalem soccer team, which might compel the team to stop playing on shabbos. Soccer officials commented that in the case of Betar, this would only impact five games.

The late MK Rabbi Meir Kahane HY”D understood the role played in Israel by the soccer leagues and was working to move matches from shabbos to Sunday in the hope of eliminating the mass chilul shabbos resulting from the games.

The matter is being checked with local soccer league officials as well as with others involved in the possible deal and current team owners and managers.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)