Yalla, let's go for it!!! Im willing to make even more hours during the week to have sundays off as well!

But I am already

economically speaking

Shabat is the day of rest! But yes, Yom Rishon is needed to take care of shopping, family recreation, BBQs, tiyulim, chores and the like, which cannot be done on Shabat. Paqid Yirmeyahu Paqid 16, The Netzarim, Ra'anana, Israel Israeli Torah-observant Jew: Teimani, Baladi, Dor Dai Advocate for Discrete Logic as Hermeneutic Halakhic Authority Welcoming all who choose to keep Torah (When questions to me go unanswered, they have refused to post it. Find our reply in our Web Café at www.netzarim.co.il)

This is an excellent idea. What many don't seem to realize is Fridsy is no day off. The majority of Israelis. even tho they don't look religious do keep some kind of shabbos and also spend a lot of time preparing for it. so where's the day of rest on Friday? It's simple, there isn't any rest available.

holidays make you lazy.

A GREAT IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Since Aliyah, trying to get everything done in a half a day on Friday along with the rest of the country is a PAIN!! But... I'm full of questions... A full work week in Israel is 43 hours. Meaning Monday to Thursday I'd work 9.75 hours and then 4 hours on Friday? 9.75?? Currently it's 8.6 hours x 5 days.

Israeli economy is robust!!!Look at the US, we are in debt up the kazoo! Look at Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Italy, etc., etc. etc. Why would you be that stupid??? As an aside, the western world changed its' day of rest to Sunday so as to further get away from their Jewish origins...when it was all the rage to be that anti-Semitic and deny their Judeo-Chrisitan roots... So, why on earth would you want to do something so stupid????

The Jews observe Saturday. The Muslims Friday, the Christians Sunday. I want a three day weekend to be instituted in many countries. Productivity is about efficiency not time. So if the State of Israel leads the way on this issue that would be great. As the saying goes... "Just Do It !"

This is Israel not Europe or America.

If I know Israeli employers, they'll be wanted their pound of flesh by extending an already very long working day (usually 9 hours, WITHOUT the lunch hour western countries get). 10 non-stop hours now? Not unless the government reduces the working week to be in line with a more normal 40 to 42.5 hour working week, thank you.

SHUT UP! arent your newspaper interesting enough for you to Aaaaaaaalways come here ?

Its already 30 years late inacting this change but better late then never. Frankly I for one found it very hard to get used to sundays being a western world monday. Time for Israel to join the western world on this, suprisingly you will find a rise in aliyah from the western world after this change. Giving up ones lazy sundays has always been a psychological block in living in Israel. So its about time Israel made this change.

If Number 8 is against it then it has to be good for the country!

I barbeque, go on trips, eat at restaurants and go shopping on Saturday - SHOCK HORROR - it CAN actually be done on Saturday and guess what? I've not been struck by lightening yet.

it's about time!!!!

like they're trying to impose for the Arabs to acknowledge (but they wouldn't because the government in Israel doesn't either) the government ought to fine those businesses and stores which are open on Shabbat and Jewish Holidays.

Adding a half-day to the weekend means that people would be working10% less. And I don't see all the religious people getting used to working on Friday, even half a day, so their work could be down by as much as 20%. So for a business, the revenues would drop by at least 10% (since the work hours shrink by this figure) while the expenses (for salaries) would remain the same. Now who's going to pay for this deficit? For all the jobs in the public sector, naturally the state will have to absorb this, meaning more taxes for all of us. While in the private sector, the employers will have to make cutbacks and fire more people, causing an increase in unemployment payments and a decrease in consumption. So anyone who's got a tiny bit of brains in his head, understands that this is a populistic move which is very bad for our economy. Unless we add another hour of work from Monday to Thursday. However I do not see it happening. And even if it would happen, then by the law of diminishing returns, the value (as far as work-product) of this added hour would be quite insignificant. Bottom line - this is a bad move. Interestingly enough, the article here does not mention the most productive economy in the world, the US, which remiains with a 2-day weekend.

First of all salma there is no place called palestine,so you can delete that from your information,secondly I think you should be banned from this list and all others as ,and I speak for many,you make us sick with your comments,go become part of some terrorist list ,hamas or hizbulla ,oh sorry they most propably dont have such a list and if they do you would be shot for saying the wrong thing,so consider yourself lucky,and do us all a favour leave ISRAEL

come on dont be like that,we all need to be together,otherwise whats the point of living here,i dont know you but i still feel compation ,love and respect for you what ever you do,we should be against people like salma who want our destruction,lets work together,I LOVE YOU MAN.

The rest ( no pun intended ) is up to you, the Israeli's.

(actually they kicked us out). How did the morons at the Ministry arrive at this?! 2.5 days of "rest"? And where pray is this happening? Last time I remember working/living in Europe we worked Mon- Thu full time. No "half Thursdays. Even a rabidly antireligious person as me, doesn't see the need to go full-bore Hellenic!! Why not work like a good Jew Sun-Thu and have Fri-Sat as fully work- free days? What gives???

you should know? Sunday and Saturday have been days of rest- or better leisure in Europe for many years- what is the hold up in Israel? The orthodox want Shabbat a day of doing nothing? Fine- so let the real Israelis at least enjoy Sunday.

We already work a long day. If they really want to make us consistent with the western world, they'll cut the work week to 40 hours including lunch. My work day is 9.5 hours and by the time that last hour rolls around I'm not too productive.

There's no holiday in Ramadan, only the change in working hours.

you need to change your name. this lovely name NO SUIT FOR YOU!!