The Tel Aviv District Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking to block the opening of the Big Fashion Glilot shopping center on Saturdays. Judge Gilad Hess ruled that, at this stage, the petition had exhausted itself and should be struck, noting that the city and its mayor had already made clear that the law must be enforced.
The case centered on Ramat HaSharon’s enforcement policy adopted in March, which sets guidelines for handling businesses operating on rest days. Under that policy, enforcement is complaint-based and depends on inspector availability, but it is not prioritized over life-saving or public-safety matters. Hess said the petition had succeeded in one sense, because the municipality and mayor acknowledged the need to enforce the law and even formulated an enforcement policy, but the court could not yet determine whether it was effective because it was only adopted three months ago.
The judge also said the new municipal bylaw, which is still awaiting Interior Ministry approval, was not relevant to the petition. Until it takes effect, the city must operate under the existing bylaw and the enforcement policy. The new draft would allow businesses outside the city center, such as Big in Glilot, to operate on Shabbat. The court suggested reviewing the actual enforcement situation in six months.
During the hearing, Ramat HaSharon Mayor Ittzik Rochberger argued that the city was acting under the policy and had already submitted three requests to the Interior Ministry to approve the amended bylaw. City lawyer Daniel Shuster said the petition had become moot because enforcement was already taking place. Petitioners from the Hapoel Mizrahi movement said no meaningful fines had been issued, calling a 500-shekel fine a mockery, and argued the city was required to enforce the 1967 bylaw, which bans businesses from opening on Shabbat. The city responded that 40% of businesses in Big are closed on Shabbat and that enforcement cannot be demanded only in one specific area.
