Announcing the decision in the interview, Michaeli said the train would begin running on Shabbat in a year. She explained that she had made the decision after consultations about the implications of operating the train on Shabbat.
Following the announcement, Religious Zionism party chair Bezalel Smotrich attacked Michaeli, saying she preferred empty slogans to addressing the "transportation catastrophe that all Israeli citizens suffer from." Smotrich added that if a right-wing government were formed, it would reverse decisions that, he said, harmed the state's Jewish character. He promised that Shabbat would remain the national day of rest.
Desecrating Shabbat or creating inequality?
Michaeli and many others campaigning for public transportation in Israel on Shabbat argue that calling it a desecration of Shabbat is meaningless. They say tens of thousands of people leave home in private cars every Shabbat because they cannot use public transportation. They add that this, too, desecrates Shabbat and creates an unequal situation that causes congestion, numerous accidents, air pollution and economic damage.
Supporters of public transportation on Shabbat also argue that the current situation wastes enormous resources: the state invests substantial money and resources in transportation systems that ultimately operate only five days a week.
Sababus and Naim Busofash: a temporary solution to an ongoing problem
The debate over public transportation on Shabbat has been gathering momentum in recent years. A few months before the coronavirus outbreak, in 2020, the municipalities of Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan announced that they would operate their own shuttle services for residents wishing to travel within the metropolitan area on Shabbat. Today, the two municipalities operate an impressive network of free routes that lets residents travel freely. The services are convenient and efficient, integrated with transportation apps and real-time arrival services, and give passengers a glimpse of an alternative reality: traveling on Shabbat to visit friends, go to the beach, spend time in Tel Aviv and return home, all free of charge, without traffic jams or searching for parking, and without being confined to one place throughout Shabbat because they cannot get around.
Is there hope for public transportation on Shabbat?
The chances of Michaeli's words becoming reality without interference are fairly slim. Opponents of public transportation on Shabbat can be expected to use every means available to prevent it, or at least delay the decision. However, the growing debate and public need for transportation will probably not allow this situation to continue indefinitely. Even if no national solution is found, more initiatives like those of Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan are likely to emerge.
