It would be a great move. I wonder who opposes such a thing? I'd be happy to work half-a-day on Friday to have Sunday off. Then we'd have time for Nature parks, picnics, the beach -- you name it! It would be a boost for many commercial enterprises that many more religious people will enjoy them, as opposed to the situation today.

there are some opposed to it. I dont understand why, but will try to figure it out.
the issue is not necessarily those opposed to it, but it needs to be researched thoroughly enough to make a decision whether to change the entire system of commerce and employment to this or if it is not worth it.

Seeing as no-one else has yet, I will play devil's advocate for you.

There are several problems with this proposal:

1. The half day on Friday cannot be seen as a viable proposition from the point of view of employers. Not only will it will be abused and little real work achieved on that day, it will also increase fixed costs for employers to open the office on this day with lower productivity. The company I work for closes its offices every Erev Hag and Hol HaMoed for these reasons (and charges us 1/2 vacation day).

2. The whole deal is that the work hours on regular days will be increased in order to make up the loss of half a day of work. You are not going to get this for free. Do you want to work a longer work day for the rest of the week in order to get your Sunday? BTW, this is hardly going to help women as it claimed in the article.

3. Many parents do not want a five day school week. They would rather their children were in school. Without being judgmental about this attitude, if this is widespread (and I believe that as many parents have never seen a different model, it is) the success of the extra day off for children will depend on changing their mindset.

4. It says in the article that school hours will increase and meals provided in schools. Who is going to pay for the extra facilities for this and in what timetable?

regarding:
1. I agree. it is possibly a problem. I am sure it can be overcome though.

2. I disagree. if i am not mistaken, the weekday work-day will be extended by half an hour. How many people work the exact number of hours they are supposed to anyway? Most people go over regardless. Usually they end up feeling bad about it, that they are spending too much time at work that they arent getting paid for any extra - now they will feel like they got something for it. They work the same during the week as always, btu get SUndays off. And even for someone who didnt work extra until now, the difference is half an hour a day (I think), which isnt such a big deal.

3. I ave nothing to add. finding what to do with kids would be an issue. the idea is to have the time to spend with the kids, but if parents dont want to... also, I imagine religious schools (torani at least) would probably have half-day school, similar to the USA. Doesnt help secular or dati (not torani), but it would be only a partial problem.

4. there are many issues and many laws that would need to be amended or changed completely to make up the difference. School issues, employment issues, etc. This is easily overcomeable.


I will add I just heard Eli Yishai said Rav Ovadia is against it. I didnt hear why, though the issue of making friday into a work-day was stressed, but I imagine he is worried making Friday into a workday would cause problems with people not preparing for shabbos or working late and getting stuck regarding shabbos. maybe causing more chilul shabbos.

Most people clock in and out and work the number of hours they are supposed to. Giving them an extra half hour to work during the week (or half an hour less paid overtime) is a material change.

My contention is that the Friday will be a low productivity day as will that extra half hour and the extra school hours.

I can also see what you are conjecturing as the religious opposition. People will be pressured into putting in extra Friday hours. The industries currently working on Fridays are service industries - not the type where the boss says stay on and finish. However it could be argued that until a few years ago everyone worked on Fridays anyway...

Someone who currently works 45-hour weeks (let's say 9-6x5) plus commuting time would find him/herself having to work another 1.5 hours a day to make up for the 6 hours lost on a Friday, and even if they work until 3 in the summer that's still 9h45m days four days a week.

I suspect that many people who just manage 9 hour days right now would just be overloaded by having to work another 45 to 90 minutes a day.

And another question - what will happen with schools? Long school days to make up for the lost whole day of school in the week? Or school on Sunday? In that case Sunday still wouldn't be a day off for teachers and countless support industries, and family outings would remain a dream.

"It would be a boost for many commercial enterprises that many more religious people will enjoy them, as opposed to the situation today."
And when would the people who work in those commercial enterprises on Sundays get time off to make up for it? Perhaps you propose all shops should be closed on Friday to make up for being open for you on Sunday?

The best solution may be to close most things on Fridays to provide a day off and teach people not to spend it preparing for Shabbos, rather to prepare for Shabbos on Thursday night (as you would have had to do anywhere you had a Sunday)

First of all, if it's so bad, how does almost every other country deal with it?

And the short Friday might be a small problem at first, but everyone will get used to it eventually. It's not too long ago that most of Israel worked half Fridays. My company (in the USA) for example has [optional] short Fridays all summer long. Add an hour each of Mon-Thurs and leave after lunch on Friday. At least half the people take this option.

It may be a good thing. however, I don't see any reason to add any time during the week. hours here anyway are 8 to 5. In most countries in the world it is 9 to 5. No doubt for the religious, to have a day to enjoy yourself without Shabbat restrictions would be great. now would it be too much to ask for those places who now open up on Shabbat not to open up on Shabbat, or even be prevented from doing so. Also, I know this would not work, but I can just imagine people saying, ah great, now I have 2 days to go to the beach, rather than one. They should be at least be told, that they ought to go on Sunday, and respect the sanctity of the Shabbat. I knowit can't be enforced, but at least explain that the new fun day is Sunday, Shabbat is holy, and should be treated accordingly. maybe working on Friday would be a good thing. So what if there is less time to make Shabbat. Jews all over the world manage it, and if there is less food made, there will be less food eaten, and we'll all be less fat. However, I think there will be problems for many in Beit Shemesh who work out of time,e xpecially in Tel Aviv, as it takes about 2 hours to get from door to door. On Friday one would work maximum 5 hours, in winter less, and then another 90 minutes plus to get home again. If it was done right, it might just work, but that doesn't usually happen in Israel. Like this fly-in going to happen on Friday at the airport. I'm sure it will be a public relations disaster, especially if people are injured or worse.