In a unique move, the Israel Broadcasting Authority has sent bills for television tax to Judaica and seforim stores in Meah Shearim, The Marker reports.

Ohr Chaim Books received a bill for 1,428 NIS for a screen in the store about six months ago. Store officials tried explaining to IBA that it does not have and never had a TV in the store. The store explains there is a monitor used for closed circuit monitoring against theft, nothing more.

IBA officials are not willing to accept the explanation and the matter has been turned over to the state collection authorities, and the bill now stands at 2,867 NIS.

Representing the store are attorneys Yaakov and Yosef Abramowitz, and they sent a letter to IBA seeking to explain the matter once again. They detail that someone saw the CC camera and apparently jumped to conclusion that are incorrect. They explain that even if their client wanted to put a TV in the store he could not because he sits in Meah Shearim and local residents would not show tolerance for such a decision. They add that nevertheless, the store has taken the extra step and has since removed the monitor to remove any doubt.

IBA once again responded with the same unwillingness to drop the matter, basing its case on a photo taken at the store in 2011. IBA adds that even monitors that are not digital, one is still required to pay television tax.

IBA Deputy Manager Avi Katz intervened, explaining that since he has learned the monitor/screen is for security surveillance, in line with the IBA decision not to demand payment for screens incapable of tuning into broadcasts, the debt will be reduced to the period of 2010-2011 when a non digital screen was still usable in Israel.

For those unfamiliar, anyone with a monitor in his home/business capable of tuning into broadcasts, even if they are in an area without reception and are not connected to cable or satellite TV, they must pay an annual television tax of approximately the shekel equivalent of $100 annually.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)