The Monday issue of Yated Neeman carries a call to halt the growing chilul Shabbos in the capital under the title “G-d’s city is disgraced”.
Yated points out that some seventy bars, pubs and restaurants operate on Shabbos in Jerusalem, some, according to the newspaper, have only recently started opening on Shabbos and with the backing of city affiliates.
The article states rabbonim are crying over plans for activities in Beit Alliance which is located in town near Machane Yehuda, under the banner “Open on Shabbos”. This refers to an event that was first going to be hosted in the “Humus and Tehina” restaurant but never happened due to the pressure exerted by the Jerusalem Rabbinate, threatening to yank the restaurants teudat kashrus if it dares to host a chilul Shabbos event. Beit Alliance appears to be the new venue for hosting the chilul Shabbos.
Organizers of this and the previous attempt this is not about chilul Shabbos as the restaurant was not planning to sell or serve anything, but simply offering a venue for people to gather and they insist this is the plan in the new location as well.
Yated adds that “Extreme pressure” applied by chareidi representatives led to the last-minute cancelation of the Beit Alliance event this week too but laments the fact that Betzalel Street has become a haven for those seeking cafes and eating out R”L on Shabbos.
Hamodia also cites about 70 pubs, restaurants and bars are operating, adding the Eida Chareidis is calling on “anyone who holds Shabbos dear” to get out in the streets and begin protesting. It adds the chilul Shabbos centers have become Betzalel,, Hillel, Shammai Streets.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Were these 2 heiligeh, not for profit, kulo lishem shomayim, newspapers also screaming about letting the gay pride parade March right thru the heart of Yerushalayim? Or is that not politically correct?
If these chareidi media want to reduce the number of venues operating on Shabbos, perhaps they might publicize activities that might attract secular residents of the city to “Shabbos-friendly” events. There is no way in a Democracy to coerce yidden to be strictly shomer Shabbos by shutting down every commercial activity they might be attracted to. Instead, give them more reasons to want to be shomer Shabbos.
To #1: If it is true that these newspapers didn’t scream about the gay pride parade, it’s probably because they have a policy, like most frum publications in this country, of not reporting about this topic altogether. Remember that theae newspapers are “family media.” Meaning, all members of the family can and do read them. It’s considered anti-chinuch to have parents explain to younger children what it’s all about. Which is what would happen if Yeted/Hamodia would report such news.