If Israel intends to be around for at least another 75 years, we will have to spend more time-solving problems than finding excuses why they can’t be solved – ignoring them altogether.
The general unhappiness of people living in the Sharon Area regarding the decision not to run the new Tel Aviv Light Rail on Shabbat is one of those solvable problems that begs for the leadership to stand up, take charge, and grab the solution just waiting to be implemented.
The first challenge is to recognize the problem. Tel Aviv is not Jerusalem. The 115-year-old city founded on the sands abutting the Mediterranean Sea is not sanctified ground.
One could make a case for Jerusalem having a level of sanctification, given its historic longevity, its position as the center of the three Abrahamic faiths, and its generally accepted Hebrew title Hebrew, ir hakodesh (the holy city). So, there is some logic to not operating public transport in Jerusalem on Shabbat in order to uphold the principle of holiness, or kedushah, in that place.
On the other hand, Tel Aviv sits in the center of the Sharon area of Israel, home to a basically secular population who should not be coerced (yes, that’s the only word for making someone’s conduct subject to the beliefs of others) into some level of Shabbat observance to which they do not subscribe.
Finally, a significant percentage of local non-observant Tel Aviv residents do not have private cars and, as such, are dependent on public transport. Does the government have the right to deny them that option and if travel becomes necessary, to place a financial burden on them by forcing them to use taxis?
One can provide counterarguments to all of the above, of course. Some of my best friends will no doubt do so, too. However, if the problem has a solution there for the taking, why not implement it?
Let those who wish to ride the light rail on Shabbat do so, and for those for whom traveling on Shabbat is anathema, fortunately, most of us have the ability to turn our heads 270 degrees – we should take advantage of that and simply look the other way.
How can this all be done within the bounds of halacha?
Two very simple things solve the problem. First of all, riding the light rail on Shabbat should be free. If there is no charge to ride the light rail and everyone is made aware of it, there is no issue of maarit ayin, (being seen to be doing something apparently disallowed by halacha) will think a fare was paid on Shabbat to use the facility. In addition, as the light rail stops at every station, there would be no need for anyone to signal the driver to stop and therefore no risk of electricity being activated by the riders, either.
Finally, enter and exit the stations, everyone would use the gates generally reserved for mobility-challenged passengers, which would be left fully open on Shabbat – thereby avoiding the need to use the electronically actuated access points.
But, you ask, what about the drivers? Again, a simple solution: None of the drivers of the trains that run on Shabbat would be Jewish. That’s a pretty creative solution.
The result would be a transport system available on Shabbat, free of charge to all who want to ride it, with no need to use anything electrical to enter or leave the stations or to request stops. The escalators at all below-ground stations would be in continuous operation, and the train drivers would not be Jewish.
I would bet that even members of the religious community who are confident enough in their religious observance, would also ultimately use the train on Shabbat to visit friends, eat a Shabbat meal with relatives across town, or just enjoy a community oneg Shabbat (joyous Shabbat celebration).
Of course, there will be a financial cost to the government for the energy used in running the system and the payroll costs. But it would be a small price to pay for a solution that would neutralize the angst of so many of our fellow citizens.
I know for sure that there would be a large segment of the rabbinic community who would work very hard to show why my logic is incorrect. But those are not the people I want to hear from. I want to hear from those knowledgeable rabbinic authorities who will read this, find the faults in my logic that emanate from my limited knowledge of Jewish law, and show how – with a small change here or a small addition there – we could make this work and remove one more irritant from the body politic of this wonderful country.
Sixty years ago, while living in Chicago, I had an investor in my company who was a very successful local CPA. Each month I would go to Abe’s apartment with the operating results of the company so we could review them together. The first time I arrived holding documents showing that we had lost money the previous month, I was ready with the reasons. We sat down at the largest dining room table I had ever seen in my life and when I started listing the reasons, Abe just about cut my legs off. He looked me straight in the eye and said, “When you come here to report profits, you can give me reasons. When you have losses, you’re just giving me excuses.”
I have never forgotten that lesson, even after all these years.
We need religious leadership that can give us solutions, not excuses for why it cannot be done. Doing so, will surely be to the long-term benefit of society, and possibly catalyze a higher level of cooperation between various religious and non-religious elements of our community.
Dare we not even try?
The writer has lived in Jerusalem for almost 40 years. He is CEO of Atid EDI Ltd., an international business development consultancy, president of an Orthodox synagogue in Jerusalem, chair of the American State Offices Association in Israel, former board chair of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, and past national president of the Association of Americans & Canadians in Israel (AACI).