A firm majority of Israelis support legislation to make Sunday a day off of work in Israel. Member of Knesset Zevulun Orlev, who chairs the National Religious Party, proposed the law last week. He said Israelis need to have both a full day of rest – Shabbos – and a free day on which to conduct commercial activity and enjoy cultural events.
The wording of the bill indicates that current laws prohibiting commercial activity on Shabbos would be more vigorously enforced.
A poll conducted by the Maagar Mohot Survey Institute on Orlev’s behalf showed that 56 percent of Israelis support the idea that “Sunday will also be a day off and commercial activities now being carried out on Shabbos be transferred to Sunday.”
The numbers were even higher among the secular and national religious sectors of society, with 64 percent of both communities lending their support. Only the Chareidi community opposed the proposed law, with 84 percent of Chareidi Jews rejecting the idea of following the Christian world’s lead regarding which days to rest from work.
(Source: Israel Today)
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A poll conducted by the Maagar Mohot Survey Institute on Orlev’s behalf showed that 56 percent of Israelis support the idea that “Sunday will also be a day off and commercial activities now being carried out on Shabbos be transferred to Sunday.”
You really think it will minimize Chilul Shabbos??
Most non Jews shop on Saturday and rest on Sunday!!!
Anyway ..
Sunday is Shabbos Sheni Shel Galuyos Not for Eretz Yisroel!!!
“Chareidi Jews rejecting the idea of following the Christian world’s lead regarding which days to rest from work”. I wonder what Daas Torah would be, seeing that this could drastically reduce public Chillul Shabbos?
Another innovative idea, brought to you by zionism.
I think this is a great idea and is bound to reduce Chilul Shabbos. Why would anybody oppose it simply because the Christian world “rests” on Sunday, or because they otherwise have the day off?
We don’t “rest” on Sunday – we simply have a day off to spend with family, run errands, etc. That the Christians worship on that day does not negate its convenience. I daresay that Israeli family life might be better if there were a Sunday in which the extended family could spend time together.
Just as Israel has no objections to stadiums, which are relics of the Greek gladiator shows,
so to, regarding Sundays, its Christian association should be of no relevance.
Great idea!
‘Only the Chareidi community opposed the proposed law, with 84 percent of Chareidi Jews rejecting the idea of following the Christian world’s lead regarding which days to rest from work.’
Sunday is not a working day in CH’L either. If the State is not considered ‘kosher’ in most other issues, why the rabble rousing in THIS case?
Just because the State isn’t kosher, does not mean with should support further enhancing its treifus.
What about having Friday off instead of Sunday? That would allow husbands to help their wives prepare for Shabbos (something the tana’im and amora’im did).
Not only would I not give up my SUNDAYS, but I am love MEMORIAL DAY also. Time to catch up on paperwork, handiwork, activities with extended family, housework, errands, and just a quick walk in the park before getting to a shiur.
Joseph,
Slice it anyway you want, you know this is nothing more than nit picking!
Do you suggest that all the Frum living in Ch’L should specifically work on Sundays, Chrisitan Holidays and other rest days dictated by their governments
just to prove that we dont want to follow ‘chukas haGoy?
Afterall, according to most frum people, the israeli government doesnt meet much of a higher standard than a secular one, possibly even less!
Joseph wrote: “Another innovative idea, brought to you by zionism.”
What does the idea of trying to minimize chillul Shabbos in Israel have to do with zionism?!
I understand that you have some knee-jerk reaction against zionism (do you at all know what zionism is?) when anything happens in Israel, but this one really makes no sense (to me at least)!
Chaim, Rest assured that the zionists have no intentions of ehancing Kovod Shabbos Kodesh. Their sole intention is to further their long-time goal of ”being a nation amongst nations” and emulate their Christian idols.
flatbusher A BEACON OF LIGHT!
If it’s a good thing for those who want to observe Shabbos, what do you care if some nut will take it as “Great! we’re now more like the Goyim!”.
Tzadikim yelchu bom u’poshe’eem yikoshlu bom..
Besides, it has nothing to do with Cristianity, since they have a religiouse empheses side by side with the ‘day off’, while we will have two separate days, and Sunday will only be a plain ‘day off’ – Joseph, it’s so simple!
Its totally wrong that everyone is saying that it will minimize Shabbat desecration- they are considering running bus service in all cities now on Saturday in addition to this Sunday legislation.
A LOT of cities still don’t have bus service on shabbat and now they are changing it becuase they want to follow the rest of the christian world and have sunday as the real day off.
Israel will do anything to be more like the rest of the world and like America. Its quite hysterical to watch what great lengths they will reach to become more like the goyim and as little jewish as possible.
Sunday has nothing to do with the day-of-rest in X-ianity. If you recall from history, Yoshke (YM”Sh) got skila on Erev Shabbos, and had “techias ha’meisim” on Sunday. However, since he was a Shoymer Shabbos Yid, he couldn’t have risen on Shabbos (it’s a melocha to create a new life) – so therefore he was doycheh it until Sunday. But the “etzem” day of Sunday isn’t holy in their religion.
SephardicPride – right on the ball.
Anyone who lives in or has visited Israel will agree that as a general rule, Israelis are more stressed than other people. This is no doubt a direct result of the chareidi public not having a day to themselves and do what they need to do- be it errands, pay bills, housework, family time etc. The role of shabbos is to rest, having Sunday off is a day to spend how ever you please. Sunday as another day off could only make people enjoy shabbos more, resting assured that they will have a chance to get organised before begining another week. Following Christians? Definately not!
I WANT TUESDAY OFF
work sunday and monday off tuesday work wednesday and thursday friday is off to get ready for shabat
while we are at it we realy should take 2 extar days a week off how about monday and wednesday?
for the same price mabby work only 2 days a week?????
I do not understand the big deal, so what if they give them sunday off, what are people getting so worked about? All those who work in America and have sunday off, do not get up every sunday morning and say, “boy, i really wish i was able to go to work today.” If that is what they want, then go find a job that is open on sundays.
Joseph:
What makes you think that they want sundays off just so they can be like the goyim?
Of course the government doesn’t suggest it in order to minimise chillul shabbos. halevay. And yes, busses might still run. But if Sunday is a restday too, football matches, concerts, shows etc will more like be played on Sunday and thus bring about some lesser level of chillul Shabbos.
great idea!
E”Y is stressed enough
5 day work weeks are healthy
Friday was a day off in the days of the late gaonic and early Spanish rishonim period when, due to commerce with the Arab countries, Friday was considered a day of rest as well. This does not effect the majority of the Charedi world becuase Kollel will not be closed on Sunday. It can only enhanse family life for those Israelis who want to spend SUndays with their families, as it does in America.
what shaiches: because everything the zionists do, is to emulate the goyim. they always wished to be “a nation amongst nations”, rather than the proper uniqueness that klal yisroel is.
seriously, who would complain about another day off?? you all have too much time on your hands, obviously.
This idea was actually presented to the Gov by the Lubavitcher Rebbe 25-30 years ago for the reason that some of you wrote above.
There is a segment of Yidden in E.Y who will gladly do their yard work, go to the beach, restaurant, paper work, concerts etc on Sunday, if they had the option.
It would be a definite case of less chilul Shabbos.
I want a 3 day work week.
Those of us in America know that Sunday is the biggest challenge to Sholom Bayis.
Flatbusher took the words out of my typing…why do the YW editors allow such nonsensical comments to be aired in such a choshuv site?Bupkiss: please think before you type…
joseph joseph rachmana latzlan
how dare you say something like that
may i remind you that because of the zionist movement now adays we have a state and aplce of our own
brooklyn also has a day of rest on sunday is that also problematic for you
i applaud the decision of giving israelis 2 days off shaboos ofcourse and a day to run errands and do other things
bogot, Yidden are still waiting for Moshiach for a State. The idolatrous State in the Holy Land is not a Jewish State, but a State run by heretical Jews.
what bupkiss is referring to is as follows: when people are idle, the Yetzer HaRa looks to liven them up. on Shabbos and Yom Tov, we have Shul and fesitive meals that take much of our time. on Sundays, when people, generally (yes I know there are those that do), do not go into the office, there are times when husbands look for ways for the wife to improve her housekeeping and wives look for ways for husbands to be more productive and other such activity. many sundays are spent as follows: the first half of the day, they fight over what to do and the second half of the day complaing that they didn’t do anything.
now if you think that these are my words, they are not – I am paraphrasing what I heard on Torah tapes from R’ M.M. Weiss. R’Weiss says that for Rabbonim that are involved in Shalom Bayis cases, idleness is one of the big issues that causes problems (I hope that I captured the points of R’Weiss correctly.)
spend your sundays having quality time with your wife, playing with your children, relaxing in a family environment. What can be better for your shalom bayis???
mdlevine – I didn’t dare say it over b’shem omro for fear of causing another “bash the rabbi who is not your own rov” frenzy. Besides for the source you mention, I have also heard it from another.
flatbusher – fine, I’ll check in with you next time before I post something! NOT!
Flatbusher,
I implied the same thing but my post was not accepted! i guesse I was abit more specific than you were….