Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai used his Facebook page to get the message out, expressing his support for operating public buses in the city on Shabbos. Huldai comes out strongly against those who express support for maintaining the long-standing religious status quo. Among the audible voices opposing bus service on Shabbos is Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz.
The mayor explains in his post that bus service on Shabbos is for everyone, including left-wing, right-wing, the poor and the wealthy. “Israel is the only country in the world that does not operate public transportation on a quarter of the days of the year, Shabbos and Yomim Tovim. The lack of viable public transportation does not permit people to rid themselves of their vehicles which are expensive and they pollute. Those who cannot afford to have a vehicle cannot visit family or enjoy the beach on Shabbos” Huldai writes.
The storm surrounding the Shabbos bus service began when Katz was approached regarding bus service in Tel Aviv on Shabbos, prompting him to accuse the bus activists of being “leftists and promoting a left-wing political agenda”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
If the mayor wants Israel to be like all the other nations then he compromises any notion that Israel has any right to be a uniquely Jewish state.
Go try to explain to this lehachasnik that
Israel is the only Jewish country in the world, therefore the only one that closes up for Shabbos.
Unless he agrees with the arabs that it’s not a Jewish country.
Nebech!
Mamzer
#1 #2
Well said
To: kehath64 s
Please, be kind to mamzerim. They do not deserve to be insulted by such comparison.
All those who desire a Jewish country should be mechazik and loudly show gratitude to Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz (Likud)
It`s also interesting to see the reactions of those who claim to pay lip service to the “Jewish and Democratic” state, yet oppose Katz for this decision.
It will be very good for non-frum bus drivers, since the companies in question will than have a very strong incentive to refuse to hire people unwilling to drive buses on Shabbos.
Unlike the United States, many religious Israeli Jews work in blue collar occupations. The goal of zionism to to expunge Yiddishkeit from public life, and blacklist Orthodox Jews from as much employment as possible would go a long way to help accomplish that goal. While they’ve managed to exclude hareidim, this will enable their policies to extend to the many Sefardim and Religious zionists who dress “normal” but keep Shabbos and all the other mitsvos.