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| Elazar Stern |
MK Elazar Stern (Yesh Atid) spoke out today (Sunday) against the opening of the new shopping center "Big Fashion Glilot' on Shabbat, clarifying that he will not visit it as long as commerce continues to operate on the day of rest.
"I do not wish them success. As long as commerce is open there on Shabbat, I will not set foot there," Stern wrote.
He emphasized the significance of Shabbat in the State of Israel: "Shabbat in the State of Israel has a special character for a vast majority of the population, Shabbat brings a social worldview and it might be the greatest message that the Jewish people have brought to the world."
Stern clarified that he supported the right of the Tel Aviv municipality to operate supermarkets on Shabbat and opposed the supermarket law, but noted that there is a significant difference between a neighborhood supermarket and a large shopping center. "There is an important and substantial difference between a neighborhood supermarket that serves residents who are 'stuck' in a certain shortage and a huge shopping center whose goal is to rake in profits even at the expense of employees who will be forced to give up their day of rest," he explained.
Continuing his remarks, Stern cited Professor Ruth Gavison, who was a co-author of the "Treatise" and one of the influential figures in the discourse regarding civil rights in Israel. "She clarified years ago that there is no justification for opening commerce on Shabbat, and said: 'I am secular, but I do not want a Shabbat of shopping and errands. I want a Shabbat of culture.'"
Stern emphasized that he supports the opening of cultural and leisure institutions on Shabbat: "I supported and I support the opening of cafes, restaurants, theaters, movies, and cultural performances on Shabbat. Anyone wishing to drink coffee on Shabbat or go to a restaurant is likely to do so on weekdays as well, so there will be both those who open on Shabbat and those who do not. But someone who buys shoes on Shabbat will not buy them again on a weekday."
In conclusion, he called on the operators of the center to reconsider their decision: "Therefore I call on the operators of the mall to retract their decision to open on Shabbat. Until then, I will not shop there and I assume many others will not either. Shabbat is important even to those who travel or go to the movies. It is the first and most successful Jewish startup to this day."
2 comments:
Well, hypocrite.He reaps what he sows
It's little known that it was actually the Mapam that introduced the Blue Laws because they were socialists and wanted a strict day of rest to prevent labourers from being overworked. And they wanted the whole country to shut down so that every worker would benefit. Because it's Israel, Saturday was chosen as the day and the religious ran with it.
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