The Hadarim Café located in a chareidi area of Rishon L’tzion has begun to open its doors on shabbos and this has resulted in talmidim in the local yeshiva gedola to protest the chilul shabbos.

Dozens of talmidim of the Yeshiva Gedola Rishon L’tzion last week protested outside the café on shabbos, hoping to persuade the owner to close on shabbos. The growing chareidi community in the mixed city is trying to prevent an increasing chilul shabbos trend chas v’sholom, as is the case R”L in Yerushalayim today.

The talmidim sang shabbos zemiros and as patrons approached, they politely asked that they refrain from entering the café on shabbos, explaining they request that both sides respect the city’s religious status quo.

Rabbi Moshe Nachshoni, one of the city’s rabbonim and head of the local kashrus confirms that a number of coffee shops in the city are open on shabbos. The rav explains that to the best of his knowledge, city officials permit opening the cafes on shabbos afternoon but the café in question remains open from Friday night through shabbos.

Rabbi Nachshoni adds that regarding Hadarim Café, it is located in a chareidi area which also encompasses Kiryas Kaliv, and that is why they are working to persuade the café to close its doors before its chilul shabbos becomes a matter of routine in the city. The rav adds that simultaneously, he and his colleagues hope to persuade city officials to act to order the closure of the café on shabbosos.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)