What will Shabbat be like in Tel Aviv-Jaffa? This is a question on many minds since the Supreme Court's decision last week regarding Shabbat bylaws. I would like to make one thing clear: We will find a legal way to keep our city open, free, and pluralistic, as it has been up till now.
The Supreme Court verdict takes us back to the historical argument between early Zionist thinkers Herzl and Ahad Haam. Herzl sought first and foremost to help Jews, to ensure their existence and quality of life. Meanwhile, Ahad Haam's spiritual Zionism believed that Jews in Israel should above all concern ourselves with Judaism --with cultivating our spiritual heritage -- as opposed to helping Jews in distress.
Tel Aviv-Jaffa's stance on enforcement of store closings followed the path of Herzl, showing greater concern for residents and their quality of life than for the punctilious observance of Shabbat. We follow the mean, as recommended by the medieval Jewish philosopher Maimonides: "Good deeds are such as are equibalanced, maintaining the mean between two equally bad extremes, the too much and the too little."
Tel Aviv-Jaffa observes the Sabbath. The city rests. The overwhelming majority of commercial activity that occurs during the week stops on Shabbat. Out of more than 50,000 businesses, only a few hundred are open on Saturday. Even the miniscule income from fines of businesses open on Shabbat is counterbalanced by the cost of enforcement. But the way this enforcement has been carried out has created a status quo that the public was happy with, without protest or confrontation. Until now, everyone could spend their day off as they like.
This is the way Tel Aviv has been since its founding. It is a Hebrew city and one of Torah -- in the broad sense of the word, meaning study, knowledge, culture -- even if not all its residents precisely observe all 613 commandments. A city that, inspired by Haim Nahman Bialik's mythological Oneg Shabbat events held in Tel Aviv's Ohel Shem in the 1920s, celebrates its own Oneg Shabbat -- a day of culture accessible to all.
Tel Aviv's first mayor, Meir Dizengoff, saw the city as "the most important experiment of the Jewish people." Throughout the years, Tel Aviv has been a trailblazer in every area. This includes the issue of the Sabbath. There is no other city in the country whose Shabbat is as rich in culture, the arts, sports and recreational events. Cinemas, restaurants, museums, galleries, beaches and swimming pools are accessible to the public on the day of rest. Those whose pantries are empty can buy what they need (and if it were up to me and the present city council, there would also be public transportation on Shabbat.)
The gap between the law and its enforcement over the issue of supermarkets garnered Supreme Court criticism and they instructed us to reconsider our policy. We will certainly do so. Once again -- for good or bad -- Tel Aviv-Jaffa must be a pioneer and determine the desirable and appropriate character of Shabbat in a free Jewish state and a free city like our own. This is not a simple task and many other government bodies are watching to see what we decide.
This issue has consequences that go beyond our city. We must resist being hasty and spouting empty slogans. The process of preparing a new city bylaw, especially on an issue such as this one, will take many months. We must undertake an orderly process of thinking and consulting with professionals and legal experts, along with broad public participation and discussion, so as to arrive at a good and well-rounded proposal. In the short term, we will refrain from imposing fines dictated by the bylaw against businesses that have been open till now. In the next 60 days, we will make decisions on how to enforce the law, as we have been ordered to do by the court. We will still reserve our right to enforcement in cases where there is a disturbance to public order.
I will continue to lead our city as a free city that is welcoming to all its residents. Tel Aviv will remain the "city that never stops."
The writer is the mayor of Tel Aviv-Jaffa.
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