Court to Hear Challenge Over Saturday Trading at Big Glilot

A dispute over Saturday operations at Big Fashion Glilot reaches the Tel Aviv District Court on Monday, as the Hapoel Hamizrachi labor federation petitions to force the Ramat HaSharon municipality to enforce its bylaw against businesses open on Shabbat. The case centers on one of Israel’s busiest shopping complexes, which draws about 45,000 visitors every Saturday.

The petitioners say the existing local law prohibits businesses from opening on Shabbat and obligates the city to enforce it. Business owners fear that real enforcement could bring fines, serious financial damage, and even disrupt the mall’s day-to-day operations.

Ramat HaSharon Mayor Itzik Rochberger strongly rejected the demand, calling the bylaw outdated and saying the city has tried for years to amend it without success. He said that in the past 10 years the municipality submitted three revisions to the bylaw, but they were not approved, and that an enforcement policy has also been drafted but still lacks authorization.

Rochberger said he would not close the mall even if pressured by the Interior Ministry. “If the director general of the Interior Ministry orders me to close Big, I will not close,” he said. He added that his view is “religious freedom without religious coercion” and accused opponents of trying to score political points. The ruling could affect far more than Ramat HaSharon, because it may set a nationwide precedent on whether municipalities must enforce old Shabbat trading bylaws.