It is because of incidents like this one that Israel Police does not have a great reputation among many Israelis.
Yaki Povovityz, 40, the father of six, had a most unpleasant experience this past Shabbos, one that led to chilul Shabbos due to the actions of police.
Yaki, who lives in Bnei Brak, is a chazon and bal koreh in a shul in Ramat Apfel. Every Shabbos he makes the walk to the shul, where he is responsible for leading the tefillos.
This past Shabbos morning, at about 8:00AM, he was apprehended “red handed” as he walked alongside the shoulder of Geha Highway on his way to Tel Hashomer Junction.
First-Sergeant Meital Cohen could not permit the offense to pass, and she signaled to Yaki to approach the patrol vehicle and show identification. He explained that he does not carry on Shabbos, and therefore, he does not have his identity card. He did however provide Officer Cohen with his identity number, address, and other information, permitting her to write him a summons for walking in the road.
Truth be said, Yaki was not too upset about the summons, but what compelled him to report the incident was the fact that Cohen made him sign that he received the summons. She told him that if he does not sign the summons properly, she will be compelled to issue him another, with an even higher fine.
When he refused, Cohen told him that she will detain him and compel him to drive to the police station in the vehicle. He did finally sign; using his other hand in an attempt to do so with a ‘shinui’ and the incident came to an end.
Responding to the unfortunate incident, Israel Police released a statement “walking on the shoulder of the road is an offense and it endangers human life. Human life takes priority above all else…”
There are different versions regarding police compelling him to sign the summons. Israel Police report an investigation will be conducted.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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18 Responses
What’s the surprise here? This is a natural consequence of living in secular, anti-religious state(Jewish religin only, of course), with a bigotry-based agenda . The issue is not he police per se, but the encomassing Israeli mindset.
This is just another example of the Israeli police using their legal force to harass and humiliate a Shomer Shabbos Jew.
This is yet another example of how the government that is the most intolerant and bigoted towards Jews is the zionist one…
sounds like the police are bored
furthermore – if this had happened in the US or even europe, we’d have activist groups all over it, there would be court cases, the ADL might even get involvedto protect our civil rights… in israel the notoriously corrupt and anti-religious government will “conduct an investigation” v’zehu
Short story: don’t walk on the shoulder of the road.
Yes, there is a limit to what one can expect from a secular polife officer.
If you don’t want this kind of trouble, then just don’t walk on the HIGHWAY…. For those who don’t know, we are talking about a 6-lane divided highway here, not about a city road.
UNBELIEVABLE EVEN THE RUSSIAN BOLSHOVIKS WOULDN’T
BE SO RUDE THE ONLY THING I COULD SAY FOR SURE IS THAT THIS POLICE OFFICER IS NOT JEWISH
Halevai
There are some palestinians I like more than some jewish police officers in Israel. And no, I am NOT a self hating jew.
Calling some of them animals, is a disgrace to animals. There are those (YES-JEWISH) who would go out of their way to kill jews. Ym”s.
#7 BPZAIDE
The officer’s name is “Meital Cohen.” Sounds pretty Jewish to me.
#6 Daniel
Completely agree with you in that he shouldn’t have been walking on the side of the highway – if you break the law (and endanger lives in the process), then you deserve a reprimand and/or fine. If you take that chance on Shabbos, then YOU are the one who is gambling with being mechalel Shabbos.
But the cop could definitely have shown more sensitivity to the fact that it was Shabbos. I agree with others above who say that had this occurred in the US, the situation probably would have gone differently.
It is the 9 days we should realy be DON LEKAF ZCHUS and stop with SINAS CHINUM and bashing everyone.
maybe he shouldn’t have started the hillul hashem of not obeying the law of the land.
remember, the gemara tells us that you can only see the errors in others when you have the same yourself.
maybe – especially during this time of year – we should be looking at what WE do wrong; not what others do (especially since they have not had any education to think otherwise!)
Why in the world would somebody do something as dangerous and unlawful as walking on the shoulder of a highway? You see what a chillul Hashem was caused by not obeying a law.
The secular Israelis will do whatever possible to mock us and to make it hard for us!!
If most Jews do not drive on Shabbos, then the 6 lane road’s shoulder should be less unsafe than during the week. How did he endanger himself any more so than the usual risks we are expected to take?
If New York shuts down Park Avenue, and Boston shuts down Storrow or Memorial Drive to facilitate walkers, why not open up the shoulder to walkers on Shabbos?
If only professionals, and those driving for medical emergency, or those towing a generator, who is going to need the shoulder for a disabled car, or going to fall asleep at the wheel and drive into the shoulder?
#17
Your comment makes little sense.
“If most Jews do not drive on Shabbos” – well most Jews DO drive on Shabbos, both in Israel as well as ch’L. It does not say anywhere that the highway was closed, or deserted, or any other excuse that you’re trying to invent.
Oh stop it, all you “law-abiding” citizens! When is the last time the police issued a ticket for walking at the side of the road?? Like never…
It was 8:00 am Shabbos morning, very little traffic. Why not look at the obvious and sickening anti-semitism coupled with a police- woman’s oversized ego.
This is the ONLY thing Israeli police are good at…not catching criminals (see story above),not shooting terrorists (see Mercaz Harav…)and definitely not keeping the law themselves! There have been many cases of bribery within the police, and countless complaints of brutality, almost all summarily closed by their own “investigators”.
Israel’s police force is a sad joke.
Police hate frum Jews!