A clock and bull tale from Israel

OVER 90,000 secular Israeli’s have signed a petition demanding that a clock change, made to accommodate devout Jews over Yom Kippur period, be reversed.

The Government’s decision to move the clocks back an hour to Standard Time was approved:

By a wide majority by the entire coalition …Yom Kippur and the fast are important to the majority of the people of Israel, to pregnant women, children and elderly people who fast.

The petition’s authors claim that Standard Time, which will be introduced this year weeks earlier than usual, shortens quality time parents spend with their children, increases the chances of traffic accidents, and costs the economy hundreds of millions of shekels.

Attorney Yizhar Hess, executive director and CEO of the Masorti Movement in Israel, claimed:

It is hard to think of an issue that makes the haredi public in Israel seem more ridiculous than the issue of Daylight Saving Time. We will not end the summer by force even if we imprison the cuckoo in the clock and force it to cover its hair.

He pointed out that one of the reasons given for the early ending of summertime was to allow those who fast to delay their fasts for an hour, but:

Using Yom Kippur as an excuse is nothing more than a fig leaf … This is a mistake, perhaps even malice, on the part of the haredi (orthodox) leadership that is dragging the public it leads into a pointless struggle …

Former Interior Minister Avraham Poraz said:

The absurd thing is that it’s possible to make the prayer on Yom Kippur an hour later. The fast is the same fast. It doesn’t matter. This is part of haredi abuse of the secular public. Only secular representation in the Knesset prepared to fight for this will result in achievements.

Nir, one of the petition’s signatories, said:

As a person who fasts on Yom Kippur and keeps Jewish tradition, I am pained to see such hatred and disgust the haredi minority evokes towards Judaism.

According to him, the petition against moving the clocks back is a symbolic, not a practical act. However, if real action were taken to put it into action, he would join the boycott.

I would definitely be willing to arrive at work an hour late if it were a serious initiative.

Interior Minister Eli Yishai

The clock row turned more farcical when Interior Minister Eli Yishai (Shas Party) said he would consider moving back to daylight saving time after the Yom Kippur fast, but a senior ministry official was insistent that clocks would not be moved forward again.

There will be no change in the Standard Time. It’s simply unfeasible, so the clock will not be moved forward again after Yom Kippur. It’s can’t happen and it won’t.

Another row brewing in Israel follows Yishai’s announcement he intends to block all of his ministry’s online payment services offered via the gov.il portal on the sabbath and religious holidays.

The portal was set up as part of the “accessible government” project to enable Israeli citizens to access a range of ministry services via the internet, thereby reducing the burden of regional centres and improving citizens’ convenience.