Following Chilul Shabbos during the past weeks by Arad City Hall, as renovations in schools continued on the holy day, a letter signed by 16 rabbonim from different communities in Arad against City Hall and the continued Chilul Shabbos.

They write that the Chilul Shabbos began on Parshas Shoftim, when “the line was crossed”, delivering a “heavy blow to Kedushas Shabbos in the city”.

The rabbonim add, “We the undersigned request and ask the management of the city of Arad to consider Kedushas Shabbos in the public space and not to repeat such an act again”. The letter was published in morning newspaper on Thursday, 26 Elul.

Among the signatories are Chief Rabbi of Arad Rabbi Yosef Elbaz, Rabbi Shai Avraham, Rabbi Yinon Eilini (dati leumi), Rabbi Refael Bousi, Rabbi Itamar Blogrund, Rabbi Yoel Ben-David, Rabbi Edein Ben-Chamu, Rabbi Yaakov Journu, Rabbi Mordechai Volkowitz (Gerre), Rabbi Avraham Tillman, Rabbi Yigal Yanai, Rabbi Elizer Maimon, Rabbi Yaakov Mendelson (Chabad), Rabbi Elkana Anak, Rabbi Yehoshua Feinah, and Rabbi David Sarim.

City Hall responded to the letter in the HaTzvi newspaper: The Shabbos is important for the Arad municipality, as for every Jew, but the task before us was to complete the renovations at the Ye’alim school and the kindergartens on time, so that the students will not be harmed in the first few days of the school year.

“The State of Israel also carries out infrastructure work in the public space during Shabbat, when there is a balance between Kedushas Shabbos and the harm to the public’s fabric of life.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)