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Tel Aviv wants buses on Shabbat
Shahar Hazelkorn
Published: 20.02.12, 23:58
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48 Talkbacks for this article
1. YAY!!!!
A Jerusalemite ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (02.21.12)
Not that it will ever come to Jerusalem, I fear, but happy for Tel Aviv.
2. I am heartened
Sagi   (02.21.12)
to see that there are enlightened and civilized people still living in Israel. I almost gave up hope. Hopefully other municipalities will follow suit and finally El Al will come to terms with modernity.
3. There should be limited bus service on Shabbat
Scott ,   Ramat Gan, Israel   (02.21.12)
It really is ridiculous that the only day people have off from work, those who do not own a car cannot travel anywhere, even in their own city without being ripped-off by a taxi. The quiet on Shabbat in Israel is nice & unique, but not complete because there are millions of private vehicles, so it's not as if there is no traffic on Shabbat. There should be a limited schedule of inter-city buses & municipal buses. In Tel Aviv the main lines should run once an hour. This would allow people some freedom to travel
4. Hallelujah
GG   (02.21.12)
5. stupidity of wanting to be like everyone else
rick ,   walnut creek   (02.21.12)
Israel has its own traditions and it should respect and preserve those traditions, at least in the public sphere. if it wants to be like everyone else, it will in short order look like a laughable imitation of europe, people who have so enfeebled themselves with their repudiation of their traditions that they cannot summon the conviction or the will to resist inundation by their enemies. Israel should not want to be like every other people. it humbles itself in the effort.
6. Tel Aviv hypocrisy!
Golan ,   modiin   (02.21.12)
Tel Aviv stopped the 1500 car parking facility allowing only 700 car parking facility instead. The reason? To encourage people to take public transportation. Part of the problem in owning a car in Tel Aviv is the cost of parking (not to mention the 117% sales tax on new cars.) So for the tyrannical TA city council to demand "public" transportation using those crapy excuses (to see family... what if the family lives in Rosh Haayin? or Modiin?) And why would someone want to go to the beach on Shabbat? (in winter?) That is when the beach is packed like a can of sardines. And of course there is the Jewish culture the state needs to honor. Yes you might not keep shabbat but the idea of shabbat and closed streets, quietness and so on is special and should be encouraged. Besides every country has a "sunday" law. And this is one of the prices that we pay to live in Israel the other is putting up with Left and Lefter government who seems to think that government bureaucracy is "helpful" instead of "wasteful" in taxpayer time, money, energy, and sanity. So please,,, we all know that private bus companies are a pipedream because once you allow it for TA, you will have to allow it to their political mirror NT (Neturei Karta.) And then you will not have any busses to Eilat (another crapy city in Israel.) As a note, Modiin is awesome.
7. #6 - Every country has a Sunday law but
laura j. ,   USA   (02.21.12)
Those countries all allow buses to run on the sabbath. Many years ago, Israeli buses were loud, smelly and obtrusive. But that's no longer the case. You have to wonder how many fewer fatal traffic accidents there might be in Israel if people didn't require a car to travel on the one day of the week they have the time. The special character of Israel won't be preserved by turning every available bit of land into a six lane highway, either.
8. Democracy
Cheryl ,   Chicago, IL   (02.21.12)
I believe that Israel is a democracy and the buses should be allowed to run on Shabbat. If you're Shomer Shabbat, that's fine and if you're not, that's fine, too. That's what a democracy is all about.
9. Great news freedom from religion
Haim ,   TA   (02.21.12)
Knesset Member Moshe Gafni can ride his donkey.
10. Remember the demographics
Mordechai   (02.21.12)
Remember if the status quo of how Israel publicly keeps shabbos is not honored then not only the secular can break it. As the Orthodox continue to grow in population and according to all demographers the majority of Jews will be Orthodox in 1 generation they will not only be able to roll back this change but allow private cars too. Beware of what you wish for. If the secular don't respect status quo when they are the majority they cannot complain when the religious do not respect it when they are the majority
11. Buses,pork,cinemas,bread on Pessah...where will it end?!-In
tom ,   tel aviv   (02.21.12)
total freedom from religious, neurotic dictatorship, that's where! Then we shall deal with the left-wing-lunatics. Democracy's tough.....
12. Status quo goes one way only
Zev ,   Israel   (02.21.12)
13. Bus on Shabbat.
tzina ,   Tel Aviv   (02.21.12)
This is a sad day for Tel Aviv and Medinat Yisrael.
14. Secular coersion
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (02.21.12)
15. shabbas
(02.21.12)
most of the observant still keep all their lights on and tea urns cookers ,mazgan on and dont turn them off eve shabbas anyway, pretending thay hashem cant see but really is laughing at sneaky feeble attempt to live without the sparky. saturn says it all, secular humanism is coming!
16. Buses in Tel Aviv
Roxy ,   israel   (02.21.12)
Should be allowed on Sabbath, suppose I want to visit a relative in the hospital, and I don't have a car and can't afford a taxi ? Have limited buses in main areas only and to the beach in sumer, to promote more family time.
17. #14 Ora is anyone forcing you to ride a bus
Haim ,   TA   (02.21.12)
Let me work this one out, you live in Jerusalem but you think you can tell secular people how to run their lives based on a religious belief they do not share or claim to live by? And you talk of coercion? The more rules and laws the religious bring in the more secular people turn away from religion, you really are your own worst enemy.
18. Tzina's Chutzpah
Moshe ,   T/A Israel   (02.21.12)
If the MAJORITY of people in T/A or anywhere in the State of Israel want to travel via a Bus then it is their perfect right to do so and it is the duty of the Civic Authorities to ensure that such services are available. If the Religious dont want to travel on a Bus then it is their perfect right to walk or do as they please. The Minority has no right to tell the vast overwhelming majority what they can or cannot do and also tell anybody what is right or wrong. It is outrageous that a small Minority is telling the People what is acceptable or permissable and how we can run our lives. Lets sacrifice some calves in Rabin Square or dance around the totem pole to appease these people CHUTZPAH!!!
19. # 14
Yaki ,   Tel-Aviv, Israel   (02.21.12)
You dont wish to travel on shabbat then dont , others wish to enjoy their life on shabbat and that includes their need to travel. Dont be so absurd.
20. 14 , charidi coercision
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (02.21.12)
People want t live and to be free . Buses in Tel Aviv is NOT enough , We need them EVERYWHERE !!! How can we reach family , friends and nature without buses ?
21. Lets save the little peace and quiet we have.
Myra ,   Tel Aviv   (02.21.12)
I am a secular Jew living in Tel Aviv for some twenty years. I have no car and use public transportation daily. One of the things I enjoy so much about living here is the wonderful change in energy that occurs late Friday afternoon when the shops close and the buses stop running. There is a little peace and quiet and the air becomes breathable. Please lets not destroy this little peace and quiet we all share.
22. Religion, before the good of the people!
Yakov ,   Tel Aviv   (02.21.12)
Shabbat buses, serve the good people of Tel Aviv, in many ways. It is good for the economy, good for the environment (less need for cars and taxis), good for tourism. I certainly respect those who feel it violates Shabbat, and the answer of "Just don't ride" is fair. The good people of Tel Aviv have spoken, and it is our decision. Not the Rabbi's, not the pundits, and not the Haredim's decision; it is ours! We are Tel Avivans.
23. As long as the bus company is a public company
Zev ,   Israel   (02.21.12)
paid for by the tax of all you can not expect the religious to be a partner by paying for busses running on Shabbat. If the bus company were private it would be a different story.
24. First, there were the busses
Yael Schlichting ,   Raubling - Germany   (02.21.12)
When I came to Israel, on Friday and Shabbat I was reminded to a world, that was better in my childhood. Here in Bavaria, I remember shops closing on Wednesday noon and of course on Saturday noon in the 1970s. Everything became calm and finally came to a halt on Sunday. It was silent and people had a good recreational time until the first started to work on Sunday evening. This has changed. Meanwhile, in many locations shops have opened from 08:00 to 22:00 six days a week. There are shops that have opened 24 hours 27 days a week. Of course I also already have taken advantage of this development, but I am also asking for the personnel who is working at these hours. I am asking if it is a real benefit to the people, if we are preventing the world from coming to a complete halt for a few days in the year. Is my desire to go to the beach more important than the bus drivers right to be left alone on Shabbat? I find it particularly important to note, that it is the individuals right to have this day off and rest on the same day like anybody else. I am not disputing the right to people who don't want to honor Shabbat, not to do so. I mean, Israel is a plural state and this is very important. I just say, that it is very important, that nobody has a disadvantage from this and that we don't end up in the situation, where we demand people to work while others have a rest. (don't remind me on police, paramedics, hospitals......I am aware of them) Here in Europe mainly workers are affected from this development. I am also asking if it is possible at all to compensate this development with money, by just paying these people a better salary and what development we would trigger, by paying people a better salary, if they are breaking Shabbat........
25. Yael
Moshe ,   T/A Israel   (02.21.12)
This is Israel not bloody Bavaria we are not walking about in Lederhosen and drinking flagons of beer and singing daft songs,what we are doing is seeing people walk around in big fur hats and telling everybody else where to sit and how we can travel and when we can travel I want to live in a society where I can get a bus when I want, not when somebody who spends his whole time taking my tax money and gives nothing back tells me. Israel will be a better place when minorities respect and recognise the rights of the majority
26. Zev , Dan is a "limited company"
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (02.21.12)
If it is paid by religious taxes , there are also many , maybe more , secular taxpayers . I don't want to pay for your cheap fares on your routes , from and to Bene Berak , Elad , Jerusalem and so on .
27. 17 19 20 Bus stop on Shabat ...
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (02.21.12)
might have sense,if cars would not be allowed either.Then the cities would become for one day an oasis of peace. I wonder if with a referendum on this idea, the majority would not opt for that.
28. The Grass Looks Greener On The Other Side
Moshe ,   Jerusalem   (02.21.12)
The way to solve this is to have Sunday as another rest day then secular's can keep Shabbat as well and we can all be on the roads going to the beach, visiting our friends on Sundays. I don't see how I and other religious people will be able to use Egged if they start to run on Shabbat which will mean Egged will loose a lot of money and it will be the fault of those who want a bus on Shabbat. I made Aliyah to a Jewish country one that observes Shabbat soon we will be down to the 49th level and this time G-d will not save us.
29. Way to go
Paul ,   UK/Israel   (02.21.12)
A city that seeks to be liberal and open as Tel Avis is has to have public transportation 7 days a week. Let' s not be controlled by religious demands. Everyone can choose for themselves whether to use it or not but the possibility has to be provided. Way to go !!! that's what democracy is all about. freedom of speech and choice to make ones own decisions. If Haredim can have their kosher buses others should have theirs on shabat
30. 27 , Yes , and everyone stays at home then ?
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (02.21.12)
How would people visit family , friends , nature is still my question . And what about the FREEDOM of people ? You don't have to ride on buses nor with a car on Shabbat , but we want to move this day .
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