Should there be public transportation in Israel on Shabbat/Chagim?

[Aliyah1995]

What is your opinion about there being public transportation (buses, trains, etc.) in Israel on Shabbat/Chagim?

[farmboy]

Yes, but dont let the Haredim on it and that should keep everyone happy.

[Firewire]

:O srry Im ignorant about shabbat
Is it a israeli custom??

[Kachah]

:O srry Im ignorant about shabbat
Is it a israeli custom??

Shabbat is the day of rest, with a lot of restrictions on what a Jew can and cannot do. You can read a lot (in fact piles of lots) about it, e.g. here.

It's funny you've referred to it as an "Israeli custom" - reminds me of the story some time ago. My company had Xmas party and all of a sudden one girl said amidst all celebrations and champaigne - Happy Hanukkah! I thought she was addressing me (as I was the only Jew at the table) so I said "thank you". I then proceeded to asking her about the meaning of this greeting (as it was obvious she didn't quite know what it was). She explained that celebrating Hanukkah was an American tradition which she found really nice and worth picking up. Turned out the girl watched too many American TV shows... it was still nice though.

[Kachah]

What is your opinion about there being public transportation (buses, trains, etc.) in Israel on Shabbat/Chagim?

By "public" do you mean funded by the government or any means of transport offered to paying passengers (taxis or private buses for example)?
My view is - the government should maintain minimal services in the areas where private companies are not providing sufficient presence. And private companies should not be restricted in any way by religious observance.

[Djinn]

I agree... If a private business wants to operate on the sabbath, then that business should be free to do so. By the same token, (and please correct me if I'm wrong) there's nothing illegal about operating a non-kosher restaurant in Israel, as long as you aren't misrepresenting to customers.

Jews can decide for themselves - individually - whether to patronize such businesses, and when.

Public services... Well, that gets tricky. Presumably "public" means government-funded, and I find it difficult not to apply my secular American attitude toward such things.

[Aliyah1995]

By "public" do you mean funded by the government or any means of transport offered to paying passengers (taxis or private buses for example)?
My view is - the government should maintain minimal services in the areas where private companies are not providing sufficient presence. And private companies should not be restricted in any way by religious observance.

Kacha, I mean funded by the government. Private companies can do what they want. Taxis already operate on Shabbat/Chagim and, as far as I know, have been doing so since the founding of the state.

In case anybody didn't guess, I vote that there should be "limited" public transportation on Shabbat/Chagim:

Some areas shouldn't have it (like areas that are virtually 100% religious like Bnei Brak, Beitar, etc.) while areas like Haifa and Tel Aviv would have the most public transportation on Shabbat/Chagim, but still not as frequent as during the week. Other areas (i.e. the majority of the country) would have transportation some where in the middle of Bnei Brak and Haifa.

With good will from all segments of the population I believe this bone of contention can and should be resolved.

[Aliyah1995]

PS, Yom Kippur should be an exception. There should be NO public transportation ANYWHERE on Yom Kippur.

1) We are talking one day a year that people should be able to live w/o public transportation.

2) I don't think the secular kids would be any happier if there was public transportation on Yom Kippur, as they take advantage of their being no cars on the roads to take over the roads with their bikes, scooters, roller blades, etc. I don't think they are ready to give up this "tradition" so quickly.

[Kachah]

Yes, I agree that Yom Kippur should be given some extra thought...
Regarding Bnei Brak and Mea Shearim - not sure, it's like preserving the getto, perhaps some bus routes not necessarily through these areas but with the stops within walking distance. Bnei Brak was cordoned off by police last time I saw it on Shabbat so I presume running public buses through it would not be a good idea.

[Firewire]

Shabbat is the day of rest, with a lot of restrictions on what a Jew can and cannot do. You can read a lot (in fact piles of lots) about it, e.g. here.

It's funny you've referred to it as an "Israeli custom" - reminds me of the story some time ago. .

hehe I referred to it as Israeli cuz I though it was insulting to call someone a 'jew' in zionism

thanks for the link tho,It was very informative you would be shocked to know how many similar customs exist in India an ditto example is the jain customs,
same thing different names
(jainism is is sub branch of Hinudism)

[farmboy]

hehe I referred to it as Israeli cuz I though it was insulting to call someone a 'jew' in zionism

Such has the world become, that to call someone a Jew is initially regarded as an insult, rather than a statement of their beliefs.

[Firewire]

Such has the world become, that to call someone a Jew is initially regarded as an insult, rather than a statement of their beliefs.

Hey hey hey
that is so unfair
I didnt mean that at all man
I just thought that calling youll jews was insult as I thought jew was a word termed by hitler to ppl who follow zionism in a racist bad sort of a way :O

[Djinn]

....I just thought that calling youll jews was insult as I thought jew was a word termed by hitler to ppl who follow zionism in a racist bad sort of a way :O

On a forum that I moderate, I was asked for my opinion as to whether the term "Jew" was offensive. My response was that when used as an adjective or verb, the term is always offensive. If used as a noun, then it could go either way, depending on the context.

[Kachah]

Hey hey hey
that is so unfair
I didnt mean that at all man
I just thought that calling youll jews was insult as I thought jew was a word termed by hitler to ppl who follow zionism in a racist bad sort of a way :O

Jews are an ethnic group pretty much as Hindu or French - probably even closer genetically. They also (the majority anyway) follow Judaism as their religion and the way of life - to various degrees and with a number of exceptions, some notable.
Not every Jew is a Zionist (google Neturei Karta), not every Zionist is a Jew (google Christian Zionists).

[Reffo]

With good will from all segments of the population I believe this bone of contention can and should be resolved

That's the key to it all, good will on all sides. With it, everything is possible. Without it, nothing.

I hate bigotry and absolutism. Yes, some religious people are guilty of it but some 'fiercely' secular people are just as guilty the other way.