Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Israel's Labor Court Holds Law Against Saturday Work Applies to Kibbutz

Israel's National Labor Court today ruled unanimously that the Israeli labor laws prohibiting Jews from working on Saturday apply to stores in kibbutzim. The decision is covered by Haaretz and by Arutz Sheva today. The opinion quotes early labor leader Berl Katznelson and Israeli writer Haim Bialik on the importance of the Sabbath to Israeli society and Israeli workers. The decision reverses a contrary holding by a Regional Labor Court that had voted to to rescind the charges against Kibbutz Tzora and six of its members.

UPDATE: YNet News on Wednesday reported that many small businesses operating on kibbutzim are angry at the Labor Court's ruling.