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Sabbath

Dumpsters are placed on a road at the entrance to a neighborhood that has a significant secular population, in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak, ahead of Shabbat on August 29, 2026. (Screenshots: X/Tuvya Yagelnik)
August 30, 2026, 6:19 am
Bnei Brak Municipality says it is behind blocking of neighborhood to traffic during Shabbat
Haredi city council claims most locals are interested in closure, accuses secular opponents of seeking ‘provocations,’ though police and local official say no formal decision passed
By ToI Staff
Screenshots of video showing a group of Haredim surrounding a police cruiser on a street that was blocked off to prevent motorists from driving there over Shabbat, August 28, 2026, in Bnei Brak. (Social media, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
August 29, 2026, 3:34 am
Haredim in Bnei Brak block cars from accessing secular neighborhood ahead of Sabbath
Volunteer cop reportedly removes dumpsters from the middle of the street, after local resident says she was told that the municipality was behind the barricades
By ToI Staff
People shop at the BIG Fashion Glilot mall, March 4, 2025 (Tal Gal/Flash90)
May 17, 2025, 12:28 pm
Open seven days a week, flashy new mall near Tel Aviv rekindles Shabbat battle
Backed by the local mayor, BIG Fashion Glilot defies law limiting commercial activity on Jewish day of rest, drawing attempted government crackdown and Haredi boycott
By Zev Stub
Illustrative: Readers and researchers trying out the new National Library of Israel building, in Jerusalem, as it opened unofficially on October 29, 2023. (Courtesy Yoni Kelberman)
July 6, 2024, 9:38 pm
Herzliya libraries, now open on Shabbat, see subscriptions spike
Central city’s Mayor Yariv Fisher touts most sign-ups in a single day after deciding earlier this week to keep libraries and country club open over weekend
By ToI Staff
An undated photo of a bus running in Tel Aviv on the Sabbath. (Tel Aviv Municipality)
September 11, 2023, 3:45 pm
As liberal cities expand Shabbat bus service, head-on crash with coalition may loom
Local officials say more than just young partyers are taking buses to and from Tel Aviv, and are girding for a fight should the Haredi-backed government try to run it off the road
By Aviv Lavie
Demonstrators block the tracks of the Tel Aviv light rail in protest of it not running during Shabbat, Friday, September 1, 2023 (video screenshot)
September 1, 2023, 5:10 pm
Protesters block Tel Aviv light rail for third week, hold ‘civics class’ on tracks
Trams stopped in Jaffa area as demonstrators once again disrupt the new line because it doesn’t run on Shabbat
By ToI Staff
Passengers ride the Tel Aviv light rail on its first day of service, August 18, 2023. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
August 26, 2023, 10:01 pm
Tel Aviv light rail extends Saturday evening hours amid protests over Shabbat closure
Tram to begin service an hour earlier, extend past midnight; Friday saw activists once again chain themselves to car to demand it run on Shabbat
By ToI Staff
Activists handcuff themselves to handrails on Friday's last light rail ahead of Shabbat, in Tel Aviv, August 25, 2023. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
August 25, 2023, 6:22 pm
Activists again cuff themselves to Tel Aviv light rail to protest Shabbat stoppage
Several dozen people protest at Allenby Station on day’s last tram, causing service to stop and driver to leave; police on the scene
By ToI Staff
An undated photo of a bus running in Tel Aviv on the Sabbath. (Tel Aviv Municipality)
August 21, 2023, 2:52 am
Ramat Gan to launch Shabbat shuttle service along Tel Aviv light route
Mayor’s announcement will likely please residents of his largely secular suburb; comes two months ahead of municipal elections, when he’ll aim to win a second term
By ToI Staff
Activists, some handcuffed to handrails, protest inside a carriage of the new Tel Aviv area light rail against the line not operating on the Sabbath, at the Elifelet Station in Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon, August 18, 2023, the first day of the train's operation. (Courtesy: Koah Kaplan)
August 18, 2023, 8:23 pm
Hundreds protest at Tel Aviv light rail stations because train won’t run on Shabbat
Demanding ‘freedom of movement, even on the Sabbath,’ some demonstrators handcuff themselves inside final train of new line’s first day of operation, in failed bid to keep it open
By ToI Staff
Then-Britain's Prince Charles, right, speaks with chief rabbi Ephraim Mirvis during a visit to Yavneh College, an Orthodox Jewish School, in north London, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017. (Toby Melville/Pool Photo via AP)
May 5, 2023, 7:04 pm
King Charles praised for helping chief rabbi observe Shabbat at coronation
Ephraim Mirvis touts ‘respectful, sensitive’ way that royal office handled situation, including inviting him and his wife to spend the night at St. James’s Palace
By Jitendra Joshi
Israeli rescue personnel rescue a 9-year-old boy from under rubble in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, late February 10, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)
February 11, 2023, 12:42 am
IDF rescuers in Turkey pull 9-year-old boy from rubble, 120 hours after quake
Survivor’s sister and father were rescued by Israelis earlier in the week; chief rabbi says Israel’s search crews should work through Shabbat to save lives
By Emanuel Fabian
Incoming Culture Minister Miki Zohar (R) with his predecessor Chili Tropper at a handover ceremony in Jerusalem, January 2, 2023 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
January 23, 2023, 5:10 am
Culture minister aims to nix Shabbat events set up by predecessor; PM shuts him down
Zohar targets initiative offering municipalities subsidized weekend events; Netanyahu intervenes, concluding ministry will continue funding but won’t initiate new Shabbat events
By ToI Staff
Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu (R) apologizes to ultra-Orthodox MKs after releasing a statement on the Sabbath, August 8, 2021. (Video screenshot)
August 8, 2021, 10:12 pm
Netanyahu apologizes to Haredi MKs after phoning Olympic medalist on Shabbat
Opposition leader says he is ‘very careful to keep the Sabbath’ and his staff will learn to do better; Likud blames ‘technical error’ that led to publishing post before nightfall
By ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) with then-health minister Yaakov Litzman, in Jerusalem, on March 11, 2020. (Flash90)
August 8, 2021, 1:55 am
Opposition MKs scold leader Netanyahu for phoning Olympic medalist on Shabbat
After leaders of all 3 religious slates in bloc slam ‘desecration’ of Jewish day of rest, Likud apologizes for ‘technical error’ that led to statement’s publishing before nightfall
By ToI Staff
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