The ongoing effort to protect the Shabbos status quo in Israel may have a new front to address as a taxi reform that is taking place may negatively impact Shabbos. The new reform will permit thousands of Israelis to use what is referred to as a ‘taxi sheirut’ on Shabbos. Persons using the ‘taxi sheirut’ on Shabbos will also be charged a reduced fare as it will be subsidized by the government.
Jerusalem Councilman Yochanan Weizman, who heads the city’s chareidi transportation file, sent a letter to Transportation Minister Chaim Katz, warning of the issues surrounding the planned reform, making it suitable to the chareidi tzibur, which relies heavily on public transportation, adding the planned reform will negatively impact the Jewish character of the state by compromising Shabbos by operating in cities around the country on Shabbos, including Jerusalem.
In a Knesset Finance Committee session a few weeks ago, Committee Chair MK Moshe Gafni warned the reform will trample the Shabbos status quo and he plans to do his utmost from permitting it to pass into law.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
If public transportation was available on shabbos, would that reduce chillul shabbos? Perhaps we’d have 200 people driving buses (reduced service) instead of 5000 driving cars?