Acting Labor and Welfare Minster Raanan Cohen (Meretz)
announced last week that he would not allow the new shopping
mall in Herzliah to open on Shabbos and holidays, adding that
he would send inspectors to the site to fine any businesses
opening their stores in the new mall last week on Shabbos
parshas Shofetim.
Last week, mayor of Herzliah Yael Garmen decided to allow the
new shopping mall in her city to open for business on Shabbos
and holidays. She claims that there are many shopping malls
near Herzliah, such as those on the Ga'ash and Shefayim
kibbutzim, which operate on Shabbos. She also cited the fact
that the new mall is situated at a distance from the
residential area of the city.
MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni told the mayor that by approving the
Shabbos opening of the mall she is breaching all of the laws
of Shabbos. He further explained that if the new mall is
opened on Shabbos, stores all over the city will follow suit.
Rabbi Gafni discussed the issue with Ministers Raanan Cohen
and Melchior, and told them that the opening of the mall is
illegal, and overturns all of the laws of Shabbos in eretz
hakodesh. If the Municipality allows operation of the
Herzliah mall on Shabbos, he said, many centers throughout
the country will open including stores throughout the cities,
not only in the malls.
As a result of Rabbi Gafni's conversation with Minister
Melchior, the Minister met with Mayor Garmen to try to
prevent the opening of the new mall on Shabbos.
Minister Raanan Cohen who is the acting Labor and Welfare
Minster, said last week that by dint of the Work and Rest Law
he would issue an order forbidding the opening of the new
mall in Herzliah on Shabbos. During the week, the rav of the
city, HaRav Yaakobovitz, plans to convene a meeting of all of
the city rabbonim and public representatives to devise ways
of preventing the opening on Shabbos of the new mall.
