The Knesset Interior Committee approved this Monday a second and third reading of the bill to finalize extending Daylight Savings Time from the end of March till the end of October on a fixed basis.
The Knesset representatives from UTJ and Shas opposed the bill on the grounds that extending this period will negatively affect the religious public's shacharis prayer requirements since sunrise is the earliest time one can pray, and this will approach seven a.m. Interior Minister, Gideon Saar from the Likud, argued that the law of Hours of Work and Rest determines that a person is permitted to pray in his work place, so that this problem is solved.
Rabbi Uri Maklev of UTJ pointed out that the subject has been extensively studied and debated and it was always not extended because of the real inconvenience that it causes for shomrei Torah and mitzvos. A law governing the extent of Daylight Savings Time was just passed six months ago. Why the urgency to change it so quickly, so close to the implementation. Calendars have already been printed, and plans have been made on the basis of what was a recently passed law.
