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Israeli city breaks with status quo on the Sabbath

An initiative by the mayor of Tiberias for the municipality to help provide public transportation on the Sabbath has caused the issue of the social status quo to the forefront of public discussion.
A youth wearing a yarmulke with a Star of David looks towards a temporary pier at the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel November 1, 2018. Picture taken November 1, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC19DCD86960
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Many Israelis consider Saturday, Feb. 9, to have been a historic day in matters relating to the status quo on transportation and the national day of rest. On that day in Tiberias — a city considered holy in Jewish tradition and today traditional in its religious leanings — public transportation was provided on the Sabbath by a non-governmental organization working with local authorities.

Most cities in Israel have no public transportation on the Sabbath as Israeli law generally prohibits it, along with the opening of businesses. This is part of the so-called status quo governing state and religion established when Israel was founded. While there have been quite a few civil initiatives providing public transportation on the national day of rest — like Shabbus, private buses traveling between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and Noa Tanua, an NGO advocating transport — they had until now operated primarily in regions with a very clear secular majority.

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