Shabbos ‘Beach Route’ a Dud, Sponsors Admit

An attempt to persuade residents of Ramle and Lod to, chalilah, take a ride to the beach on Shabbos failed miserably, after broadcast personalities Guy Meroz and Orly Vilnai were unable to persuade even one resident of the town to take them up on their offer for free transit to Tel Aviv in a brazen chillul Shabbos.

The two had used their daily chat show to organize the effort. They rented a minibus and advertised the route heavily on their program, listing the specific times and stops that the van would pick up at. In interviews with residents of the towns, they purported to show that there was a “great need” for the service, giving the impression that they would be turning away passengers.

The opposite actually happened. No one materialized at the preset stops, and after making two circuits around the towns passenger-less, the two finally picked up a hitchhiker, who was looking for a ride to Tel Aviv and had no idea of the pair’s efforts. In Tel Aviv itself, the van stopped in front of crowds and offered free rides to the beach – but here, too, they were able to gather up not more than two or three people who were interested.