Shabbos war goes north • Hundreds demonstrated against desecration of Shabbos in Acre

Hundreds demonstrated last night (Thursday) against the opening of a branch of Home Center in Acre in the Azrieli Mall in the city on Shabbos.

Religious and Hareidi residents gathered in front of the shop, headed by Chief Rabbi of the city and county Harav Yosef Yashar, with other Rabbis of the city to his side, to protest against the opening of the store.

According to residents, the management of Home Center undertook when the store opened that the branch in Acre will be closed on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, and indeed the store did not work on Shabbos last year.

But last week the company announced the opening of the store on Shabbos, which is a severe affront to sanctity of Shabbos - and this led to great agitation in the city and surrounding towns.

All public representatives of religious and haredi public in the city, including Deputy Mayor Rafi Luzon, and members of the City Council Ami Illouz, Ofer Cohen and David Abadi, joined together to formulate courses of action against the desecration of the Shabbos.

Tonight, while the Company published the opening of the store, a demonstration was organized spontaneously, without early advertising and the response was impressive.

In front of the shop gathered Hareidi and religious from across the spectrum, residents from the haredi communities, Hesder yeshiva students, members of the Garin Torani, as well as secular residents, and started a protest, the first of a series protest actions, including among others a boycott of the branch, demonstrations, mass prayers in front of the Mall and other steps.

At the demonstration the Rav called to completely boycott the store and said that it was a serious loophole that "Every Jew for whom the Shabbos is close to his heart should not set foot in that store on weekdays either."

During next Shabbos mass Tefillos will be held in front of the shopping center.
The Home Center management responded in part: "Home Center in Acre is a new branch which was opened a year ago. In the Acre branch about 70% of the employees are from the Arab sector."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!