The Chief Rabbis of Israel and Jerusalem Chief Rabbi Aryeh Stern, have joined the battle against continued chilul Shabbos in the construction of the Yehudit Bridge in Tel Aviv. The chareidi parties in Knesset have been waging a war against the chilul Shabbos for the new pedestrian bridge, which Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai explains can only be built on Shabbos, a day when traffic is significantly lighter than during work days.

The pedestrian bridge will also serve bicyclists, connecting between Yigal Alon Street and the neighborhood of Bitzran, east of the Ayalon, and Montefiore neighborhood west of the Ayalon.

Rishon L’Tzion HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef and Chief Rabbi of Israel HaRav Dovid Lau  have penned a letter also signed by Rabbi Aryeh Stern, who is chairman of Vaad Shabbos in the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, along with the senior members of the Chief Rabbinate Council.

“We express our protest and sorrow over the culture of chilul Shabbos in a country where Shabbos observance is its most prominent symbol. It is impossible to restrain ourselves when we see a public project such as the construction of the bridge in Tel Aviv, which is bein build on Shabbos without halachic authorization.

“This represents a loss of the Jewish identity of the state, the building done with public funds, a large portion of which is shomer Shabbos, for a project being built on Shabbos. It can be said that using it for a chareidi Jew who is adamant in his avodas Hashem would present a problem.

The rabbonim conclude, “We cannot restrain ourselves when we see a public project like building a bridge in Tel Aviv, which is being built on Shabbos without any halachic permission.”

The unexpected protest from the Chief Rabbinate is the initiative of Jerusalem Chief Rabbi Stern, who serves as chairman of the Chief Rabbinate’s Vaad Shabbos. Rav Stern recently turned to Rishon L’Tzion Rav Yosef in his capacity as presidents of the Chief Rabbinate Council regarding the matter.

Signatories of the letter of protest include the Chief Rabbis, Rav Stern, Tzefas Sephardi Chief Rabbi HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu, Beersheva Chief Rabbi HaRav Yehudi Deri, Kiryat Ono Chief Rabbi HaRav Dr. Ratzon Arussi, Migdal HaEmek Chief Rabbi HaRav Yitzchak Dovid Grossman, Chief Rabbi of Ra’anana HaRav Yitzchak Peretz, Rosh Yeshivas Merkaz HaRav HaRav Yaakov Shapira. Other rabbonim who signed include Rav Shimon Elituv, Rav Eliezer Simcha Weiss, Rav Yitzchak Levi, Rav Yitzchak Ralbag, and Rav Yaakov Rosa.

IDF Chief Rabbi Brigadier-General Eyal Karim could not sign due to the restrictions of his post.

Sources close to the rabbonim explain this is just the first stage in their struggle as they intend to continue working to halt the chilul Shabbos.

While individual rabbonim have expressed protest to date, this initiative is different, as it represents the state religious body, and it now appears, while the rabbonim were silent, waiting in the background to date, they are no longer willing to silently tolerate the chilul Shabbos.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)