When most people park their cars on erev Shabbos in Yerushalayim they are not concerned regarding parking restrictions for they know tickets are not issued on Shabbos, or at least they thought so. Most guests arriving in the capital during the hours before Shabbos understand city parking inspectors have already headed home for Shabbos and tickets are not given again until Sunday morning. In many areas the situation is extremely difficult and there is generally a lack of legal parking spaces.

When a number of motorists returned to their vehicles last motzei Shabbos they were surprised to see a ticket neatly seated below a windshield wiper. They had parked along the Jerusalem light rail line on Herzl Blvd. with the knowledge train service is interrupted on Shabbos. When they looked at the summons it was time stamped on Shabbos.

It appears that certain violations merit a parking ticket on Shabbos too, including the light rail tracks, and along the hotels that run parallel to Road 1. City Hall explains there are a number of non-Jewish traffic enforcement agents that work on Shabbos “to maintain order on the roadways”. Councilman (Yahadut Hatorah) Eliezer Ruchberger asks “If these places are critical and the presence of vehicles poses a danger, why aren’t the vehicles towed?” He adds that if they interfere with emergency vehicles then they should be towed and if not, why the need to issue summonses on Shabbos.

City Hall explains that the law is different in various areas of the city and not all areas are tow-away zones. In addition, City Hall adds they do not have the non-Jewish manpower to begin towing on Shabbos.

Frum councilmen are angered by the summonses, explaining the non-Jewish inspectors are supposed to be issuing summonses for stores operating illegally on Shabbos, not parked vehicles.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)