Yaakov Halperin announces: I'll bear cost of Shabbos expenses at Sharona compound

Sharona storm: Following the publication in Behadrey Haredim about the heavy fines imposed on the Sarona compound business owners who wish not to open on Shabbos, Yaakov Halperin, CEO of "Optics Halperin" announced he will bear the costs of Shabbos, and shall pay the price of the fine and legal costs.

Earlier today Behadrey Haredim published that the Gindi company, the operator of the Sharona Market complex - fines business owners who refuse to open their businesses on Shabbat for the amount of NIS 3000 for every Shabbat. The report stirred the ire of business owners, ministers and Knesset members and even members of the Tel Aviv City Council, who strongly condemned the desecration of Shabbos imposition at the entertainment complex.

Following the public protest, "Sharona Market" announced that indeed they will eliminate the heavy fine imposed on business owners who observe Shabbos, but will turn to court to sue them for breach of contract.

As mentioned above, businessman and CEO of "Halperin Optics" Yaakov Halperin, decided to bear the expenses of fines and court and prosecution in the wake of Shabbos observance. Yaakov Halperin says to Behadrey Haredim: "I called Ofer Frieman franchisee at Henry's shop in Sharona in Tel Aviv, and I told him that we - the Halperin family, heard the harsh decision to require the owners of the shops to open on Shabbos, and a store that would not open would receive a fine of 3000 shekels.

"The Halperin family members want to take part in strengthening Shabbos in the city and strengthening Shabbos observers, so we decided to pay all the financial reports he received, and expenses of attorneys he might have in the fight, so as to continue to strengthen the observance of Shabbos."

Halperin adds that, "during the conversation, the store owner asked to stop for a moment, and stopped on the roadside with excitement at the initiative of covering the damages. The store owner said he received a lot of pep talks, but did not know how to deal with the economic damage that threatened the continued existence of the new store."

Earlier today, Henri's shop owner Mr. Rami Bar-Lev, whose branch in Sharona is closed during Shabbat was interviewed and said to Behadrey Haredim: "Our franchisee in Sharona Market is interested to rest on Shabbat, and therefore suffers fines. The contract with Gindi did actually say that anyone who did not open on Shabbat will suffer a penalty, but there were stores which did not open and they forgave them. I hope that here too they will be considerate towards the operator."

"I'm not a religious person," says Bar-Lev, "but we keep kosher, and a franchisee who wants to rest on Shabbat - we respect that, and so it should be."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!