Chilul Shabbat in Tel Aviv - Public Buses to start?

How times have changed. The Tel-Aviv municipality poster below was signed by Meir Dizengoff, the first mayor of Tel-Aviv, imploring the residents to not publicly desecrate Shabbat. "Observe the Shabbat and it will protect you!"

(poster source)

Contrast with today...

The Tel Aviv city council decided Monday to seek a Transportation Ministry permit to run buses on Shabbat.

The city's Mayor, Ron Huladi, has supported the move for a while now. During Monday's discussion he said: "Those who don't want to get on a bus (on Shabbat) can choose not to board it."

According to a decision approved by city council, the municipality will now draft a detailed request and submit it to the Transportation Ministry.

Should the ministry reject the bid, city hall will advance the establishment of an independent transportation company. Such service would enable Tel Avivians to travel to city center and to entertainment venues. Another option is for the city to seek a permit to extend the limited service currently offered by minibuses. ynetnews

R' Chaim Navon poses the question: Who is saying the following in Israel?

Who are you to tell us what to do? All the riders on the bus want this solution! If you don't like our solution, don't get on the bus.

Is the answer:

- the Tel-Aviv secular bus riders, who want to take the bus on Shabbat,
- the Ultra-Orthodox Chareidim who want women in the back of the bus, men in the front, or segregated buses altogether?

R' Navon writes a thoughtful article about how we in Israel need to find better ways to compromise on issues of religion. Today, everything is a war -- on both sides of the spectrum.



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R' Elyashiv: Forbidden to Visit Kotel on Shabbat

The "kikar-shabbat" Chareidi/Ultra-Orthodox website is publicizing a halachik ruling from the Yated Neeman newspaper which quotes Rabbinic Leader R' Elyashiv, that it is forbidden to visit the Kotel on Shabbat, because of the "Shabbat גesecration" involved.

According to the statement, the Israeli Police"Mabat 2000" security camera CCTV and recording program is not "sufficiently supervised" and therefore, the newspaper ad advises followers of R' Elyashiv to avoid visiting the Kotel on Shabbat and Jewish holidays. I assume his ruling would apply to walking anywhere in Jerusalem's Old City, since the entire Old City is secured via this security camera system.



Previously, R' Elyashiv ruled there was no problem with the Mabat 2000 system.

I have a feeling this is going to quickly go the way of the "Shabbat Elevator" ruling.

Despite R' Elyashiv's ruling, thousands of religious people visited the Kotel last Shabbat.


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Shimon Peres: ALL Jews Should Observe Shabbat

The President of Israel, Shimon Peres visited Bnei Braq today. Calcalist/TheMarker newspaper reported:

"I would say it only half jokingly, but if I really did have the ability, [I would say] all Jews should observe Shabbat, so that they should only work 6 days,a week as commanded by the Torah."

Peres made this statement at the IROX high tech company in Bnei Braq which employs 80 Ultra-Orthodox women.

Peres continued: "In this company, women are employed. I hope this will continue that men will be employed here as well, provided they have the appropriate work conditions for them.

Secular Jews need to accommodate the work environment for Chareidim/Ultra-Orthodox, so that there will separate environments for men and women, and that there will be break time for prayers.

Torah students have amazing minds. Many secular Jews go to exercise gyms, while the religious go to yeshiva, a spiritual gym. You teach your mind to think and deal with challenges. Many religious Jews have become scientists.

Earlier in the day, Peres visited the Ponovitch Yeshiva and spoke to students and the Roshei Yeshiva. Afterwards, he spoke to R' Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman from Bnei Braq, during which radical Chareidim threw rocks at Peres and R' Shteinman.

No injuries were reported.

If he's calling for segregation in the work place, maybe Peres will endorse segregated mehadrin buses as well?


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Driving Insurance on Shabbat

While insuring your car here in Israel is far from inexpensive, it's cool that all sorts of clauses help bring down the costs. As religious Jews, we don't drive on Shabbat or Chag (unless it's within the scope of emergency EMT response for Magen David Adom/Hatzala, or IDF kitat konenut CTU response).

Therefore...we have this clause in our insurance that keeps our premiums a bit lower. (After all, if we drive 1/7th less than the average driver, why shouldn't the insurance premium be lower?)

It is hereby negotiated, that regardless of what is previously stated in this policy, the [insurance] company will not be liable to pay compensation for any accident, loss, damage or debts that occur or result during the time when this insured vehicle is driven on Shabbat or Jewish Holidays, when it is forbidden [by halacha] to drive from the start [of Shabbat/Chag] until the time when [Shabbat/Chag] is complete, according to the times stated by the Israeli Chief Rabbinate, unless the driving is for "pikuach nefesh" (risk of life). In exchange for the above, this policy will be reduced according to the "Not Driving on Shabbat and Jewish Holiday" clause.

I guess such a policy could exist elsewhere on the planet; anyone know if it does?


PS: Yes, I know I've been away from blogging for a while...but for good things...family smachot, etc. Will try to get back in the saddle (I have missed blogging).  

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