Yesterday the Ministerial Legislative Committee approved the start of the long weekend, Passing in the legislative committee means chances are extremely high that it will pass in the Knesset voting, but we should not get ahead of ourselves.
According to the first stage that is being approved now, the long weekends (ie. Sundays as a vacation day) are being scheduled for days that most people would likely take off anyway - 2 Sundays in the summer when the kids are on vacation, along with 4 Sundays scheduled through the holidays, specifically being exchanged for days during Pesach and Chanukah vacations. Staring the project off like this means they do not need to retool the school calendar in any significant manner in order to coordinate kids days off with parents days off. Rather, the parents will be getting the days off on days that the kids are already off.
Eventually this is supposed to lead to one Sunday per month, and then eventually to every Sunday being a day off. Israelis work, on average, more weekly hours than other OECD countries, and this will move us more in line with the OECD, thus increasing productivity. In addition, it will improve quality of life, give people time to relax, shop, tour, spend family time and whatever else they might want to do.
source: JPost, Walla News, Kikar
I am all for it. The Haredi media has yet to give its unique perspective on this telling us what the frum perspective on this si meant to be. I wonder if anybody, maybe the Haredi MKs, has asked the gedolim yet. Is it too "goyish", as some claim? is it good, as it will give people time to relax and learn more Torah? should it be encouraged as a way of lessening chilul shabbos? Will it cause more bittul torah as people find other things to do besides being productive or learning?
------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel
------------------------------------------------------
If MKs, whose constituents largely do not work, manage to block this, I will personally burn down the entirety of Bet. Just sayin'
ReplyDeleteI really hope it does not lead to every Sunday off. I do not want to work on Friday instead or longer hours during the week.
ReplyDeleteI did catch some Haredi comment on it and if I understand correctly, this guy (don't remember which MK) was being very showboat defiant about how 'they' would ignore it and keep learning, but did question who would compensate the workers/staff to be paid on these days.