Progressively Speaking: Should Shabbat observance in Israel be enforced by law?
Rabbi Neil Janes reflects on a topical issue with a progressive Jewish response
I strongly object to using civil law to enforce Jewish law. It is in violation of everything that the enlightenment handed to society in terms of personal autonomy and equality.
In truth, only a power hungry religious fanatic thinks Jewish law can be enforced with civil sanctions in the 21st century.
The observance of mitzvot is, in all Jewish communities that are tolerant and open, only something that can be practiced freely and never coerced.
A state has many tools at its disposal to create a vibrant Jewish culture without forcing anyone to comply with mitzvot.
Moreover, the cultural and societal norms are more effective at maintaining the sanctity of a day and the Jewish nature of Israel’s liberal democracy.
The issues is complex. Shabbat is a stronghold against the forces of capitalism that push us to be consumers every hour of every day.
And it is a protection against anyone being forced to work every day of the week in a challenging labour market.
Today, it is Rabbi Gilad Kariv of the Israeli Reform Movement who has spoken of the need for labour laws to protect people working on Shabbat.
It is something that would require compromise, which Haredi parties are incapable of doing.
With the rise of online shopping there is also something important about allowing local stores the ability to decide for themselves how best to compete in a market that is diversifying.
By enforcing Shabbat for corner-shops there is an additional injustice. None of us would, I suspect, be willing to sanction the State of Israel shutting down the internet every Shabbat, so why would we countenance shops?
Having lived in Israel and hoping to live there again, I’m willing to accept a world where I compromise and lose some of the peace of the day in favour of freedom from religious coercion – in such things as public transport and commerce.
Then again, in a world where the balance of power favours the ultra-orthodox turning the Western Wall into an ultra-orthodox synagogue, what hope is there for Mr and Mrs Cohen trying to put food on their table running their mini-market up the road?
Rabbi Neil Janes is executive director of the Lyons Learning Project
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
