Tens of Thousands Protest Ongoing Shabbos Construction Work in Bnei Brak

Tens of thousands of Bnei Brak’s residents participated on Leil Shabbos in an atzeres tefillah in protest of construction work of the light rail in a brazen chillul Shabbos by the contractors building the light rail for the Tel Aviv region, including this Shabbos.

The tefillos were led by the Rebbes, Rabbanim and Roshei Yeshivah of Bnei Brak, across Highway 4.

Earlier on Friday, the Tel Aviv District Court cancelled an order issued on Thursday night that prevented the carrying out of construction on the light rail station on Shabbos.

The attorney representing the transit system said work during Shabbos is of “vital” importance because without it, the ground on Jabotinsky Street could sink, endangering local homes and businesses. Bnei Brak Mayor Rabbi Chanoch Zeibert, who was at the court ruling, said that while he agreed it was an important thing, it could be fixed during the week days, and it would only cost the company more money – which is seemingly no reason to build on Shabbos. The court did not accept his argument, and the work continued on Shabbos.