Chareidi councilmen in Petach Tikvah have sent a letter to Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz decrying the fading religious status quo and the increased Chilul Shabbos in the city. Eliyahu Bruchi (Yahadut Hatorah), Oriel Buso (Shas) and Itzik Da’ei (Bayit Yehudi) expressed their pain along with their hope the minister will be attentive and address the issue at hand, the declining adherence to the religious status quo in Petach Tikvah and other cities nationwide.

Buso told Kikar Shabbos news that adhering to the religious status quo is “in everyone’s interest and there are elements that tried to break this two weeks before election and B”H Yahadut Hatorah succeeded in preventing this with the assistance of MK Moshe Gafne, who promised to wage an tenacious war to protect Shabbos”.

The councilmen are enlisting the support and assistance of MKs from their respective parties in Knesset. The councilmen feel of late, the Ministry of Transportation is working to change the reality of the status quo regarding buses operating on Shabbos.

They explain that the number 25 bus operated by Kavim begins service at 18:00 on Shabbos, well before Shabbos ends. Efforts are underway for the number 5 line to begin operating on Shabbos morning along with reports that drivers are compelled to be mechalel Shabbos to arrive at the bus garage immediately after Shabbos ends.

They call on Minister Katz to act immediately to stop the 25 and 185 lines from operating on Shabbos, and to adjust schedules in accordance with Shabbos times. This includes ending bus service on Fridays in time to permit drivers to get the bus parked and head home before Shabbos.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)