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NEWS
HaMashbir LeTzarchan to Announce Closure of All Branches
on Shabbos
by Betzalel Kahn
As the campaign to reinforce the walls of Shabbos continues
to take shape, Vaadas Harabbonim Lemaan HaShabbos received
notice that Hamashbir Letzarchan plans to announce the
closure of all its branches around the country on Shabbos.
Meanwhile arrangements are in full swing for the worldwide
Shabbos rally scheduled to take place at the end of Teves at
Yad Eliyahu in Tel Aviv, where gedolei Yisroel will
raise a cry against chilul Shabbos by owners of malls,
retail outlets, factories and businesses who make special
offers to lure thousands of Jews to do their shopping on
Shabbos. The plans are being made in coordination with Vaadas
HaRabbonim's Steering Committee.
Organizers have begun collecting the signatures of consumers
around the country pledging not to enter businesses open on
Shabbos. With over 150,000 pledges already signed, major
figures in the business world are showing an interest in
Rabbi Refoel Halperin's initiative to issue special credit
cards to the Shabbos-observant public, an initiative that has
already led to a signed agreement with credit-card company
C.A.L. Negotiations are underway with the owners of malls,
retail outlets, stores, factories, etc. to convince them to
close their businesses on Shabbos and by doing so to secure
the buying power of more than a million Shabbos-observers in
Israel.
In the context of these negotiations, after consulting with
the company directorate, Rami Shavit, general director of
HaMashbir LeTzarchan, said the outlet chain plans to close
all of its stores on Shabbos, starting before the worldwide
Shabbos rally. Vaadas HaRabbonim expressed hopes that this
step would induce other chains and malls to recognize the
chareidi public's buying power by announcing the closure of
their businesses on Shabbos as well.
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