Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai was a guest at a session of the Knesset lobby for Jewish Renewal headed by MK Rachel Azariya and MK Elazar Stern. Huldai took many by surprise when he explained he opposes opening shopping centers on Shabbos. He feels everything possible must be done to prevent Shabbos from becoming a day of shopping. He does feel there should and must be public transportation in certain areas, as well as permitting entertainment centers to operate. He feels the “day of rest” entails permitting people to relax in their own way and providing transportation to and from areas for those without a car.
However, he is among those who feel that opening large stores and shopping centers will lead to commercial day, not a day of rest. In addition, opponents explain if large businesses open, including shopping centers, the many frum and traditional Jews will be discriminated against at the workplace or lose their jobs if they refuse to work. He feels that in his vision of the day of rest in a Jewish country, turning Shabbos into a day of shopping is out of the question.
Some differ with his view, explaining that while Israel is a Jewish country, it is not a halachic country and Shabbos should be a day that citizens can enjoy as they wish, including shopping.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
At least he realizes that opening all stores on Shabbos will kill the ‘Jewish’ feeling of being in EY; what he does not realize is that honoring the Shabbos by not doing work and making kiddush and davening set the Jews apart from the nations of the work.
As the Jews keep the Shabbos, so the Shabbos keeps the Jews. That is an old saying, but true.