If Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai has his way, the day of rest will get a lot more bustling. In Israel, all public transportation currently grinds to a halt at the onset of Shabbat and holidays, forcing secular Jews to employ taxis or private cars if they wish to get around. This a policy that must end, Huldai said. Speaking at a conference in Tel Aviv, Huldai lamented the fact that Israel is the only Westernized country in the world that does not provide public transportation to its citizens for one-quarter of the year (taking into account all Saturdays and holidays). Without widespread and accessible public transportation, he said, the country's development is suffering. Huldai's comments could become a sticking point with Israel's ultra-Orthodox and religious sector, which has a stake in civil issues in Israel such as marriage and land ownership.
El Al, Israel's national air carrier, is banned from flying on Shabbat.
Tel Aviv mayor calls for public transport on Shabbat
Ron Huldai says lack of buses on Shabbat and Jewish holidays is stifling Israeli development and holding the nation back • No other country in the Western world stops its public transportation for one quarter of the year, he says.
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