The Battle Over Shabbat in Israel

Shabbat is a class issue
Complaints by westernized Israelis over the closure of public buses & shopping centers on Shabbat actually place the wants of the privileged above the needs of Israel's low-wage workers for a day of rest.

For decades, Israelis have argued over the status of Shabbat in the public sphere.

But while this fight has largely been framed as one of “religious coercion” – over whether or not the observance of Shabbat is being forced on Israeli society’s public square – the real issue might actually be about class.

Written By
More from Yehuda HaKohen
The Secrets Unearthed by Israel’s Return to Jerusalem
On the 28th of Iyar, 5727 (1967), something much deeper than a...
Read More