Tel Aviv City Hall proudly portrays the city as “The City That Never Sleeps” and if the mayor has his way, it will no longer sleep on Shabbos either.

The city directorate on Monday, 1 Asar II 5774 approved amending the law to permit a limited number of businesses wishing to open on Shabbos to do so. The bill will now be presented to the Tel Aviv City Council. If passed, as expected will be the case, the law will then move to the Interior Ministry, which today is under the control of Minister (Likud) Gideon Saar.

During a hearing during the summer of 5773 the Supreme Court accepted an appeal filed by owners of smaller kiosks and grocery stores around Tel Aviv resulting in the court ordering Tel Aviv City Hall to enforce the Shabbos closure law.

The amendment to the law lists streets on which the city wishes to change the status quo and permit businesses to open on Shabbos, limiting the change to restricted areas, not the entire city. The city envisions limiting the number of stores that will be permitted to open on those streets and a Shabbos permit will be given for a five-year period.

The amendment to the Shabbos status quo also lists three Shabbos entertainment areas in the city, the seaport, the Port of Jaffa and the convention center grounds.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)