JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Religious Zionist leader Betzalel Smotrich wrote a sharp letter to the head of the Israeli soccer league administrator Erez Kalfon, who intends to move most of the soccer games of Israel’s national soccer league to Shabbos.
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The administrator announced last week that “in the wake of winter time, some of the games will be advanced to the early afternoon hours of Shabbos. Smotrich wrote that “the administrator’s reasoning for this “festive” declaration was to try and draw more spectators to games including families, children and soldiers. Yet this is a very puzzling announcement, since during the winter Shabbos ends earlier. I welcome the wish to draw new crowds including families and soldiers but I don’t understand the ignoring and discrimination towards the religious public.
The religious and traditional public take a major part in all aspects of society in Israel- security, education, economy, technology, medicine etc. In the last few years it has also taken part in culture and the media and it appears that only soccer insists on closing its doors to this public. It is very upsetting that for you the new crowds you wish to draw do not include fans who keep Shabbos and Jewish tradition. You have chosen to ignore a large group of players, children and families.”
Smotrich added that there had been meetings with officials from the Ministry of Sport to try and reduce the discrimination against religious supporters of soccer but “the administration continues to act in a paternalistic manner.”
“It should be noted that there are many combat soldiers who go on leave on weekends and many keep Shabbos, they also deserve to enjoy soccer games on Motzaei Shabbos. Unfortunately these suggestions were not properly investigated and the administration continues to act unilaterally on the matter.”
The league administrators responded that “even before the state was founded soccer was played on Shabbos. In the winter, when temperatures drop, we push the games forward to allow children and families to reach the stadiums. This has led to great success with stadiums full of women, kids and soldiers who want to get back at a normal hour before a busy week. There is soccer on Friday, Shabbos, Sunday and Monday so whoever want to go can find the right time for himself- both religious and secular.”
Smotrich also elicited a furious response from Labor leader Merav Michaeli: “Smotrich hasn’t yet sat on his chair and already is trying to force his religious way of life on all of Israel. I have news for you: soccer games will continue on Shabbos and don’t dare change this, the public will show you the way out. We won’t let you change Israel into a halachic country.”
Here is the next GREAT problem in Israel. The fummers as they go into power will try to tell the not -yet frum people how to live. The push back will be great. This will divide the country and will cause much hatred against frum people. They will start to retaliate and do thing deliberately against the Torah. Remember a few years ago when Shas leaders stopped the public transportation on Sahbbos in other towns. The town councils and people opened their own bus company and drove them around on Shabbos. I seems at that time the frummers backed off, and realized this will only cause more trouble. But here we go again.
Why do you want the not-yet religious people to come to Yerusaliem every Shabbos to protest and drive loads of cars all around honking as they do it. They can get creative, and come to the Kosel dressed in bikinis’ on shabbos, stay in the higher part – which is not considered the shul, dancing and singing and ruin the holiness of shabbos There in nothing you can do to stop them, it is a free country and we will not be able to take our children to the kosel.
Do you think this is stupid, look at every free society that pushed it people around how they react and push back, especially, knowing the nature of Israelis. The way to bring them back is not by force but by love.
If his argument is discrimination, he lost! That’s something that doesn’t have רגליים.
He needs to say this is a JEWISH country, and they CAN’T be mechalel Shabbos!
Emes beats sheker!
Professional sports is a waste of time. Any person with “seichel” should realize that. Why is a religious Jew complaining about soccer matches being held on Shabbos. Neither he, nor his public should be wasting their time with it anyway.