Does religious coercion also reach the world of culture?
Last week, instructions were given to the cultural administrations in various localities throughout the country to no longer hold the "Weekend of Israeli Culture" project events that take place on Shabbat.
These are cultural events that take place mainly in the periphery, which made cultural shows accessible to children, teenagers and adults.
"The Shabbat-observing public in Israel will not be shot down during my shift," the Minister of Culture and Sports explained the decision.
"Continuing to tonight's announcements, the incoming Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar instructed his office staff to examine the various plans of the previous minister, among them the Israeli Shabbat plan, which also takes place on Shabbat, thus discriminating against the entire Shabbat-observant public.
"The office under my leadership does not interfere in the contents of funded entities, but at the same time the previous government's decision regarding proactive activity on Shabbat is not consistent with Minister Zohar's policy and maintaining the status quo. Therefore, the minister instructed his office staff to re-examine the plan."
The new directive refers to shows that took place from five o'clock on Friday until one hour after Shabbat ends.
On Thursday, they called the Orna Port Theater from Kibbutz Amir in the Upper Galilee Regional Council and asked to cancel a show that was supposed to take place at their place on Saturday.
Only after the intervention and insistence of the theater, the show is expected to take place at the end, but an instruction was given not to reschedule shows for the following Saturdays.
The project that continues the "Israeli Sabbath" project, which MK Trooper operated, is also expected to undergo a change, and most likely will not continue in its current form.
Miki Zohar takes up his post at the Ministry of Culture and Sports // Photo: Yoni Rikner
"At the end of last week, the director of the council's culture department received a message, according to which the state will immediately stop subsidizing the 'Weekend of Israeli Culture' project events that take place on Saturdays," said Giora Zaltz, head of the Upper Galilee Regional Council.
"Since the state subsidizes 90% of the costs of the events, this means the cancellation of a series of events intended for thousands of residents from the council's settlements and the entire Upper Galilee."
"At the same time, we were recently informed that the 'Israeli Shabbat' initiative, which operates with us on Shabbats in four museums, will be frozen starting at the end of the month in favor of 'organization and preparation.'
The Ministry of Culture and Sports stated that the Ministry is currently examining the continuation of the Israeli Shabbat initiative, the result of the initiative of the previous Minister of Culture and Sports, MK Hili Troper.
"The news about the intention to stop the 'Israeli Shabbat' project is cause for concern," MK Hili Troper shared. and one according to their faith.
A special budget was set aside for adjustments that would also allow Shabbat observers to enter the heritage sites without violating Shabbat.
How sad that there are those who are now closing the gate."
"During the activity of the "Israeli Shabbat" project, tens of thousands of Israelis experienced a Shabbat with a family atmosphere, quality culture, and a connection to the historical stories of the Jewish people and the Zionist dream. The Shabbat should not be a breeding ground for quarrels, but an opportunity for connections around culture, heritage and spirit. Closing the project means less heritage, Less culture and fewer connections in Israeli society."
were we wrong
We will fix it!
If you found an error in the article, we would appreciate it if you shared it with us