Bumba Land Blames Outside Security Firm After Shabbos Controversy in Elad

Bumba Land, the company operating Elad’s inflatable water park, is denying that any of its employees worked on Shabbos after a public outcry erupted over activity seen at the site. The company says the incident was caused by an outside security contractor acting without authorization and announced that it has immediately terminated its relationship with that firm.

The controversy began after residents reported seeing workers arrive at the park site, located in the community center parking lot on Rechov Rabi Chiya, during the afternoon of Parshas Re’eh. According to witnesses, equipment was unloaded and activity continued despite objections from local residents. Earlier, the Elad Municipality said the matter was under review.

In a detailed statement released on Motzoei Shabbos, Bumba Land sought to distance itself from the incident.

“Bumba Land is a Shabbos-observant company,” the statement read. The company stressed that “During Shabbos, no travel, construction, dismantling, operation, or work was carried out at the inflatable park, and there was no activity by Bumba Land connected to the incident during Shabbos.”

According to the company, the only work that had been scheduled during Shabbos was security for the site. Bumba Land said it had hired an outside security company, which employed non-Jewish guards for that purpose. “Their role was solely to guard the site and not to perform any activity connected to the event or the park,” the company said.

The company acknowledged that equipment was, in fact, unloaded at the site during Shabbos but insisted that it had nothing to do with the inflatable park.

“Unfortunately, during Shabbos the security company unloaded equipment at the site that was not connected to the event, was not Bumba Land equipment, and was not needed for the operation of the inflatable park,” the statement said.

Bumba Land emphasized that the action was taken without its knowledge or approval.

“This action was not carried out by Bumba Land, was not part of the event, was not for the benefit of the park, and was not authorized by the company,” the statement continued.

The company also condemned the security firm’s conduct, saying, “We are a company that is careful to observe Shabbos. Precisely because of that, we view very seriously the fact that the security company carried out Shabbos desecration at a site connected to us.”

As a result of the incident, Bumba Land announced that it has severed ties with the contractor. “We have decided to terminate our engagement with the security company and will no longer work with it,” the company said, later adding that the termination took effect “immediately.”

Addressing the concerns of Elad’s chareidi residents, the company stated, “We understand the great sensitivity of the residents of Elad and the importance of preserving the sanctity of Shabbos in the city. We respect the community and the city’s character, and we regret that a situation arose which caused anger and distress.”

The statement concluded with a firm denial that the company itself violated Shabbos.

“Bumba Land did not work on Shabbos. We did not travel on Shabbos. We did not build or operate the park on Shabbos. The equipment unloaded on Shabbos was not equipment for the event and did not belong to Bumba Land,” the company said, adding that it is “taking the matter very seriously and will do everything possible to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.”