Meretz MK drafts bill to prolong Daylight Saving Time
The bill would not affect the time change this year - Standard Time returns on September 12 - since it will be debated only later this year.
By Zvi ZrahiyaA bill drafted by Meretz MK Nitzan Horowitz would push back the end of Daylight Saving Time, which currently ends between the Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur holidays.
The bill would not affect the time change this year - Standard Time returns on September 12 - since it will be debated only later this year.
Under the current law, Israel switches back to Standard Time on the Sunday before Yom Kippur, which is about two months before the United States does so and well over a month before Europe does, on October 31 this year.
Immediately after the change in two weeks, the sun will be setting at 5:40 P.M.
Horowitz has argued that Daylight Saving Time should not be based on religious considerations, and his bill would end Daylight Saving Time on the last Sunday in October, which is when many other countries make the change.
Among its other benefits, delaying the change would save electricity, because there would be daylight until later.
The opposition of members of the ultra-Orthodox community - who argue that switching to Standard Time makes the Yom Kippur fast easier - is unreasonable and arbitrary, and is even contrary to the Haredi community's own interests, he said.
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I am a religious Israeli who fasts multiple times a year. How can any religious person argue that this is a good thing so we can have 1 of our many fasts end one measly hour earlier? It's simply ridiculous! 2 months of extra daylight is nothing to sneeze at! Not to mention the fact that currently, our seudat mafseket is at around 4 PM, an absurd time for dinner. WE THE RELIGIOUS HAVE TO THROW OUR WEIGHT BEHIND THIS BILL! WHO CARES ABOUT ONE HOUR ON YOM KIPPUR??!! LETS LIVE IN DAYLIGHT!!!
Horror-witz is clearly proposing the change out of mean-spirited intent of making things more difficult for most Jews (including the secular population) who fast on Yom Kippur.
Horror-witz is clearly proposing the change out of mean-spirited intent of making things more difficult for most Jews (including the secular population) who fast on Yom Kippur.
In a democracy, it is customary and good practice to have consideration of minority populations as long as there is no great hardship for the majority population. Setting the clock back so the relgiously observant can have an easier Yom Kipur does not seem to be a great hardship on those of us who don't fast.
Strangely enough on these days like Yom Kippur every synagouge in the UK seems to have appeals for Israel, you see my friend, you simply cant have it both ways. Your country seems to have the attitude to run round the would pulling money from jews and then telling them to butt out when anything is suggested. If you dont like Yom Kippur and fasting i suggest changing the name back to Palestine!!
Yes, it does cause hardship on me. I fast also, however I don't want to live in darkness by 5PM in the middle of September. And I want a cheaper electric bill and I don't need more bad Israeli drivers driving in the dark. If they want an easier fast, they should just change the clocks only for that one week.
In a democracy, it is customary and good practice to have consideration of minority populations as long as there is no great hardship for the majority population. Setting the clock back so the relgiously observant can have an easier Yom Kipur does not seem to be a great hardship on those of us who don't fast.