Haredim will warn Chinese in City of Ice: Don't work on Shabbos

After threatening to protest in the coming Shabbos against the chilul Shabbos in the City of Ice which is being constructed in Jerusalem, members of the local Torah Judaism party will tour today (Tues.) together with representatives of the municipal company "Ariel" in the demarcated area, to emphasize the procedures prohibiting work on Shabbos .

Earlier this week, members of the faction placed a request at the Jerusalem police, to allow them to hold a demonstration in the area, after receiving testimony from residents living near that place that construction work takes place on Shabbos too.

"Over the last few Shabboses ice sawing voices are heard from within the compound," one of the residents said in conversation with members of the Council. "Last Shabbos, in front of all, a forklift driven by a compound worker, transferred blocks of ice from the preparation compound of the ice into the display area. Another employee recorded the works of ice between the compounds with a camera."

Faction chairman, Yitzchak Pindrus, and Council Member Yaakov Halperin sent a letter to Isracard CEO, the main sponsor of the Ice City project, and sought to prevent the desecration of Shabbos, "The sanctity of Shabbos is important to the Jewish people," they wrote, "and even more so in the Holy City of Jerusalem, which has maintained over many years the status quo and honor for the many Shabbos observers living in the city.

"We expect the company to honor their feelings, to stop the desecration of Shabbat in the Ice City area. We are convinced that the honor of Shabbos and its observers will be greatly appreciated by Shabbos observant Jews all over the world."

The Shas faction in the municipality joined the protest by members of United Torah Judaism. Chairman of the party, Eli Simchayof wrote an internal email to members of the council: "I wish to join hands in the struggle and join with my faction for saving the sanctity of Shabbos."

In contrast to the chairman who joined the protest, Asher Mishali, a member of the Shas faction preferred to 'sting' United Torah Judaism. "There is a no less important issue that Torah Judaism faction members must protest against vigorously," he said by e-mail and chose to flood the subject of discrimination against Sephardi girls in the city, while testifying that there are four girls who, since the beginning of the school year, are sitting in their homes - "for no good reason".

Mishali claimed that he chose to raise the issue, "Given that this is a capital case and is not depreciated from the protest against desecration of Shabbos."

Yesterday, the city company 'Ariel' CEO, Zion Turjeman, answered the claims made by hareidi members of city council and rejected them outright. "The Ariel Company generally does not work on Shabbos or hold activities on Shabbos. It is not superfluous to note that all the events of the Ariel Company adhere to this issue. This also pertains to subcontractors hired to produce events.

"Following your inquiry about ice town, I conducted another test against six Chinese who were in the compound, and whose job was to guard the place and ice. In light of complaints, so as to remove any doubt and in order to avoid problems in the future, I repeated and edged the complex procedures that prohibit work on the Shabbos."

In the Ice City project much money was invested and a "city" was built in a covered and chilled hall near the old railway station in the city with palaces, bridges and huge figures - all made of colored ice. The organizers intend to recreate the success of last year's project and continue to work around the clock."

Isracard's response: "Isracard has no connection to any desecration of Shabbos if it were made in the City of Ice. Isracard sponsored only, and does not assume any responsibility for the work being done. The responsibility for the work and Shabbos desecration if it were - is the municipality of Jerusalem's alone."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!