Bnei - Brak decided to enforce: closing businesses from 11 pm

In recent days, business owners in Bnei Brak, who do not close their store until 23:00, absorb fines from municipal inspectors, who decided to enforce the municipal bylaw on the outskirts of the city too, in places hitherto open until the wee hours of the night.

To date, some food stores in Bnei Brak would remain open until midnight. Businesses on Jabotinsky Street and Ramat Gan border would remain open even until later hours.

Recently the city inspectors started to enforce the bylaw, and business owners were fined after 23:00.

Residents who are used to go out at night to eat something, were surprised to see that the inspectors accompanied by police officers, closed the businesses.

Last night, the inspectors arrived at the Geha highway gas station, outside the town of Bnei Brak, and with the help of policemen closed the kiosk and shops located in the area, and even the Yellow shop.

As a result, many residents were outraged, and complained about it. "After completing my daily Shiur in the shull, I have to go to a secular area in order to get something to eat?" Meir D., resident of Bnei Brak, asks.

"Many avreichim who are city residents, are used to go out at night after their affairs with their family, and are now forced to migrate to nearby cities," said an avrech in a talk with Behadrey Haredim.

Avraham Tannenbaum, municipal secretary and its spokesman responded: "Bnei Brak Municipality is working on closing the restaurants and cafes after 11 pm, according to the by-law of opening businesses and closing them, adopted 11 years ago by the City Council and approved by the Ministries of Interior and Justice."

At the same time, Rabbi Avraham Rubinstein, the mayor, announced that on Thursday night the opening of these businesses will be allowed until 12 at night, for shopping for Shabbos.

The speaker explained that the municipality has not made up innovations, but is only fully enforcing the bylaw, as it is has been enforced for quite some time. The decision, at the time, to close restaurants and cafes at 11 pm - until six in the morning, was taken unanimously by all members of the City Council.

"The decision to act on the issue did not emerge in the minds of activists and politicians, as claimed by interested parties, rather as noted this is a municipal law, approved by the government offices, and in accordance with the blessing of Gedolei Yisroel shlita, who see this law as a blessed regulation and meaningful to the city of Torah and Hasidus, whose character and way of life of its residents are known for their Torah uniqueness, and in accordance with the wishes of its founders and builders, and its rabbis and leaders are happy with it."

However, before Pesach, because the mass arrival of buyers to various stores, the municipality will ease on the whole issue of closing various shops until after the Chag.

Bnei Brak Municipality inspectors at 23:00pm on Harav Schach street in the city; Photo: Eli Schlesinger

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!