If the game would fall on a holy Islamic holiday, this wouldn't be an issue at all of course.

Kol Hakavod to the Belgium association

Let's play the next tennis tournament on Christmas!

It's not as if this is some obscure date - everyone knows about Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and that it's around September. Belgium certainly knows about these days. Half their major industry, diamonds, closes on those days. Putting anything on these days is just dafka - doing it on purpose.

There are no restrictions to not working on Islamic holidays. Yom Kippur is the holiest of the Jewish year. The Jewish religion does not permit us to work on Shabbat and High holidays.

Christians do stuff on Christmas and even work!!!

I would like to see the exchange of letters published.

Quite right that the Israeli Tennis Association was fined, i mean come on people do you really expect them to cater to everyones religious beliefs, If you cant make the date because of some superstitious religious belief then tough !

And the ITA-letter which is ref. in the article. But do not forget Belgium is almost a pure islamic state due to immigration and their muiltiplications. Then important days in jewish religion means nothing for the islamicated population, ref Yom Kippur.

playing on Xmas. And I agree with Tiki, if it was an islamic holiday, they would change the date...eurostan.... I am not so religious but do respect those that stick to traditions, its what holds us together.

I don't k now what country you live in, but the overwhelming majority of Christians in the U.S. don't work on Christmas. In fact, it's a federal holiday, so government offices and most businesses are closed....which makes it very easy for Christians to observe the holiday without any penalties.

the week, not the first, is a tennis tournament specialty. That means few tennis players enter HaShem's Rest or Shalom peace since honoring the Shabbat of the Lord (not the shabbat of man) is required for that holy standing and place and peace of mind with HaShem.

Its been going on in soccer, baseball, tennis, etc.. for 100 years. -- Get a calendar for 4.95 and there wont be any planning issues! (Or they may be planning the game dates on YOMTOV on purpose)...now thats a whole different story.

You call religious people primitive, but in reality it is you that is primitive.

A kiddush Hashem. Its great to feel proud to be Jewish and all of you nasty folks like #11 should learn to be proud of your spiritual heritage as well and not just your cultural, national pride. Superstions INDEED!

Haim poor haim from TA lost sol know noting about his roots what a sad day for the Jewish people they know noting

"Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days for the Jewish people" Aharoni which day is holier?

...is neither here nor there. Civilized people respect the traditions and beliefs of their cultured neighbours. They are delighted to accommodate others in matters of belief. Intolerant people, on the other hand, are simply throwbacks to their primeval Darwinian beginnings that react out of ignorance and fear. Their irrational anxiousness causes them to strike out at their superiors, as you have.

To all of you who never read the word of GOD and ALWAYS have something nasty to say about my beloved Israel and my people "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'These are my appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies. Lev 23:3

The religious coercion is a group of Christians knowingly scheduling the game on the holiest day of the Jewish year. And we are not talking about "everyone's" religious beliefs; just the Jews and just one day. You may not agree with the belief, but one would hope you would respect the people who believe that way. Your attitude is how wars begin. No thank you.

Ask the Belgians for a rematch on Christmas Day!

"The ITA has been forced to pay the Belgian Tennis Association a fine of €10,000 (about $13,340) for the Davis Cup team's refusal to play on the Day of Atonement." I don't want to hear about Jews loving money anymore. To quote Montey Python, "Fat little Belgian bastards".

Ask Christians to play on Easter Sunday and Muslims to play at night during Ramadan (after fasting during the day) . Just look at the Egyptians starting a war on Yom Kippur. Even the Nazis and the allies had a Christmas cease fire.