Ashdod Religious Council Distributes Shabbat Closing Time Magnets to Businesses
Translated & summarized from JDN by baba
The Ashdod Religious Council is distributing magnetic calendars to food businesses to ensure they close on time before Shabbat. The initiative, led by Rabbi Ovadia Dahan and supported by Rabbi Chaim Shimon Pinto, aims to prevent Shabbat desecration due to late closures. Supervisors will remind businesses of the required closing times, which are at least one hour before Shabbat and reopening half an hour after it ends.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Ashdod Religious Council distributes Shabbat closing time magnets to food businesses.
- Magnets aim to prevent Shabbat desecration by ensuring timely business closures.
- Businesses must close one hour before Shabbat and reopen 30 minutes after.
- Kashrut supervisors will remind business owners of the Shabbat closing schedule.
- Rabbi Chaim Shimon Pinto blessed the initiative to strengthen Shabbat observance.
The Ashdod Religious Council has initiated a campaign to reinforce Shabbat observance among local business owners, particularly those in the food industry. With the onset of winter hours and earlier Shabbat entrances, there is a heightened concern that businesses might close too late, potentially leading to Shabbat desecration. To address this, a meeting was held involving Rabbi Chaim Shimon Pinto, the city's Mora d'asra, Rabbi Ovadia Dahan, Chairman of the Religious Council, and kashrut supervisors.
The council is emphasizing the "procedure for closing businesses on Fridays and holiday eves and opening them on Saturday and holiday nights." This includes a minimum requirement for businesses to close by one hour before Shabbat begins and reopen no earlier than half an hour after Shabbat ends. To aid compliance, Rabbi Dahan, through the "Lovers of Shabbat" organization, has distributed magnetic calendars to food businesses. These magnets clearly display the precise closing and opening times for Shabbat and holidays throughout the year, intended to be a visible reminder.
Kashrut supervisors and volunteers from "Mishmeret Shabbat," an organization active for decades in promoting Shabbat observance, will conduct checks. Rabbi Dahan and Rabbi Avraham Boganim, Rabbi of the Kashrut Department, along with supervisors, will personally visit businesses before Shabbat to ensure they are closing on time according to kashrut regulations. This effort aims to allow employees sufficient time to prepare for Shabbat and to uphold the honor of Shabbat.
Rabbi Pinto expressed his approval of the initiative, blessing Rabbi Dahan and emphasizing the importance of Shabbat as a source of blessing. The campaign is designed to prevent issues arising from a lack of awareness regarding closing and opening times, with supervisors tasked to remind business owners weekly of the schedule.