The McDonalds restaurant operating at Ben-Gurion International Airport opens on Shabbos but is certified kosher by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.
The restaurant was awarded the license to operate in Ben-Gurion Airport’s food court. It is a kosher branch and requested to remain open on Shabbos to service the travelers coming and going on Shabbos.
Towards this end, McDonalds turned to the Zomet Institute towards learning if and how the branch may be operated on Shabbos without Chilul Shabbos. Zomet’s chief engineer, Yoni Ben David and his colleague, Daniel Shinsinsky, visited the branch at the airport.
Some of what was explained to branch managers includes:
• Removing door sensors for refrigerators used in the branch, including on Shabbos.
• Heating cabinets with hotplates in the shelves to maintain heat would be programed for Shabbos, to operate in continuously from the start to the end of Shabbos.
• Some devices would have to be covered and locked to cover the power switches to avoid turning them off and on during Shabbos.
• Food preparations would be done as in guesthouses; cooking on erev Shabbos and only reheating on Shabbos without changing the temperature.
There is currently one lawsuit against the Chief Rabbinate of Israel pending with the High Court of Justice, regarding hotels around Israel that operate on Shabbos and are certified kosher, some even mehadrin.
A Jerusalem restaurant is suing the Chief Rabbinate because they want a kashrus certificate despite operating on Shabbos, as food is not cooked, only warmed, and persons buy vouchers before Shabbos. No money is taken, or meals charged on Shabbos. They feel since the restaurant is like a hotel, and as such, it should receive kashrus certification.
To date, the Jerusalem Rabbinate has rejected requests for certification, prompting the case with the High Court.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
Well in the case of the other restaurant that was mentioned, the meals are prepaid. But here, how will the meals be paid for? Obviously travelers aren’t going to be prepaying for shabbos meals.
Don’t get this.
How is selling stuff not Chillul Shabbos?
I’ve never understood how the hotel-owned restaurants are allowed to operate on Shabbos while a stand-alone restaurant in the building next door that operates in a functionally identical mode (i.e. same food heating equipment, same precautions against turning equipment on/off, same pre-payment vouchers for Shabbos meals etc.) is somehow not given hashgacha. I’ve heard arguments that the meal at the hotel is included in the package price and other rationalizations but none really seem to be convincing.
How are they warming food on Shabbos- does it become yad soledes bo? How are people paying McDonalds?
And what about payment?
How have they worked out monetary payments? just curious
THE TRAVELERS ARE IN ANY CASE BEING MECHALLEL SHABBOS.
McDonalds are going to make a lot of money on this, getting paid for the week’s leftover burgers which they would have had to throw out anyways. I wonder if they are even telling their shabbos customers that they are getting yesterday’s reheated food, as most people wouldn’t buy such a thing.
Has the world got mad.?
Prediction I Phones will get a Heter in a few years–just saying
So u can be on the phone having a burger on Shabbat at McDonald while at the same time being an Observant Jew –Give me a break. Its a Mad Mad Mad world out there
I remember years ago departing from Ben Gurion, I had ample time to my flight, being hungry I saw the Kosher sign on the Mc Donald, I went there to buy something, the gentleman behind the counter advised me that This food outlet wasn’t for me, since WE’RE OPEN ON SHABBOS, I was so amazed,
So my question is, this Hechsher has been on for ages, what happened now?