Eyal Fishman, Chairman of Fishman Group
Jews allowed to work on Shabbat?
Indictments issued by Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor against stores for being open on Shabbat and employing Jewish employees are rescinded. Stores included in indictment are Home Center, A.D. Design, Ace Hardware, Mega Sport, and Toys R' Us
The Labor Court cancelled indictments in seven criminal cases submitted against the holding company, Fishman Group, the stores in their control, and their managers for employing Jewish employees on Shabbat. Indictments were issued against the companies and stores for alleged violations of the work hours law.
Some of the indictments were also issued against the directors of Fishman Group, including Eliezer Fishman, Eyal Fishman, Anat Menipaz, and others.
Attorney Michal Goldhar represented the companies held by Fishman Group, and issued a request to cancel the indictments.
The defendants claimed that the enforcement policy of the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor is not consistent, and that the law was not enforced in other sectors (such as cinemas and theatres).
It was also claimed that the law isn't enforced equally in all the regions of the country. They brought Ben-Gurion Airport as an example.
The court accepted the defendants' claims, and instructed the indictments be rescinded. The court also ruled that the indictments could be cancelled because the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor enforces the law on a case-by-case basis, and not in a consistent manner.
It was also written in the ruling that the guiding considerations of the ministry and its lack of consistent enforcement in the public sector damage the sense of justice and fairness.
