A kol korei dated 5770, signed by Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv ZT”L, Maran HaGaon HaRav Aryeh Yehuda Leib Shteinman ZT”L, Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L and HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Halevi Wosner ZT”L is being distributed to remind the tzibur to avoid visiting venues that are Mechalel Shabbos.

Being Bein Hazmanim, the kol korei is being distributed, calling on camps and the tzibur at large to avoid venues that are mechalel Shabbos and/or lacking tznius during the vacation period.

One example given is that the Jerusalem Municipality arranged a ‘fun afternoon’ in the Biblical Zoo for afternoon programs on Tuesday, 12 Menachem Av, which was met with a call from the Vaad Against chilul Shabbos, which has blacklisted the zoo, since it opens on Shabbos.

However, it is reported that among the organizations which took advantage of the program were Beis Yaakov and another school, under the leadership of Rav Yitzchak Goldknoff, who also serves as the secretary of the Vaad Against Chilul Shabbos.

Interestingly, just last week, the vaad released a call to remember not to visit venues that open on Shabbos. When the city’s adverts for the afternoon in the zoo were distributed, Rav Goldknoff instructed institutions to remove them since the venue was not acceptable.

Kikar Shabbos News reports it contacted Jerusalem City Hall and learned that “hundreds of girls from the various affiliations” took part in the trip, and according to them, this included girls from mosdos affiliated with Rav Goldknoff. The rav is quoted telling Kikar News that he is not responsibly for the actions of individuals, adding most of the mosdos did not participate when they realized it was a place that opens on Shabbos.

The rabbi added, “The chareidi tzibur should not visit the Biblical Zoo for as long as Gedolei Yisrael have it listed as a site that is mechalel Shabbos.”

The rav expressed his anger over those programs that ignored the instructions of Gedolei Yisrael, choosing to permit the girls to participate.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)