Weird “Shemiras Shabbos Compromise” at Philly Museum of U.S. Jewish History

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the-national-museum-of-american-jewish-history-phillyThe National Museum of American Jewish History set to open next month in Philadelphia has adopted a unique compromise on an issue that pits religious teaching against economics – whether to open on Shabbos.

The five-story museum next to Independence Mall, scheduled to open Nov. 26, is dedicated to chronicling 350 years of Jewish life in America and establishing a home base for scholarly meetings and community discussions.

But The Philadelphia Inquirer says officials had to decide whether to open on Shabbos, even though halacha  forbids work and commercial transactions on Shabbos. The alternative was closing on the day and turning away thousands of visitors – as well as up to a quarter of the anticipated admission revenue.

Michael Rosenzweig, the museum’s president and chief executive officer, says there was “not a simple answer.”

In August, a committee was appointed to review the issue and talked to rabbis, but found no consensus, and looking at the policies of other institutions was not definitive.

The Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York closes for Shabbos and Yom Tov, but the Jewish Museum in New York is open on Shabbos, although its gift shop is closed. The Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco and the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles and their gift shops are open on Shabbos.

So this month, the panel took its recommendations to the board and an unusual approach was approved:

The museum will be open Shabbos, but tickets for Shabboswill not be sold on the museum’s premises that day; they can be bought online or in advance, or outside the museum at locations to be determined.

The gift shop will also be open Shabbos, but will handle no cash that day; any credit card transactions will be processed after sundown.

And the museum will be closed on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and on the first two days of Pesach.

“It’s kind of a compromise,” Rosenzweig said, adding that officials do not claim the policy is dictated by halacha. “It’s a policy the board embraced for its symbolic power, showing that in Jewish tradition, Shabbat and holidays are different.”

Observant staff will have the option of not working on Shabbos and Yom Tov, he said. The cafe will be closed on Shabbos and Yom Tov, and museum facilities, such as event space, may not be rented on those days.

“We’re a Jewish institution, but not a religious institution,” Rosenzweig said. “We’re reaching out to the Jewish community and to the non-Jewish community, to inspire in all Americans a greater appreciation for the remarkable accomplishments of American Jews, for both themselves and the nation.”

{USA Today/Matzav.com}


9 COMMENTS

  1. It seems to me like tho only issur for them might be Schar Shabbos. But since the Museum
    has to do work before Shabbos for the costumers
    its would be considered Havlah.

    I have a bad feeling though that there will be people manning the computers and doing other Milacha. Nebach!

  2. R’ Yisroel Salanter got a whole port to stop working on Shabbos, but he did it step by step – first no writing, then only recieving not sending off, and so on…

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