While many Super Sol stores across Israel were closed Sunday evening, Holocaust Remembrance Day eve, several of the chain’s branches in other locations were open for business. Consumers complained before Ynet that the Super Sol stores in Dimona and Bilu Junction held regular operations.
A Super Sol official from the Dimona branch confirmed that the branch was open until 10 pm, as it normally is.
“Even if there isn’t a municipal bylaw requiring businesses be closed on Holocaust Day eve, all businesses were closed by 7 pm, including the Mega store. Not conducting business while everyone is mourning is a matter of respect for Holocaust Remembrance Day, not a legal issue,” a Kiryat Ekron resident said.
Businesses are required to be closed on Holocaust Remembrance Day eve according to municipal bylaws based on the Holocaust Remembrance Day Law, although the guidelines vary between cities. The law stipulates that public entertainment establishments, such as cafés and movie theaters, remain closed on the night prior to Holocaust Day.
While some municipalities makes a point of sending inspectors to issue fines to any open business, including supermarkets, other don’t regard such stores as entertainment establishments.
Some citizens, however object to the prohibition.
“It doesn’t make sense that food cannot be purchased after 7 pm,” a Tel Aviv resident said.
“It’s a matter of the last few years. City inspectors prevent supermarkets from being open. I don’t think its reasonable that a pharmacy be closed when a person needs medication. These are not entertainment facilities.”
The Super Sol chain stated in response: “The Holocaust Remembrance Day is a national day of mourning and we respect that.
“Super Sol branches are not entertainment establishments and therefore they are permitted to remain open by law, unless there is a municipal bylaw instructing the closing of a store by 7 pm. In these cases we naturally adhere to the regulation.”
{Ynet/Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}
So is holocaust remembrance day the new Shabbos?
You mean it’s ok to have business establishments open on Shabbos and Yom Tov if they closed on Holocaust Day? Perhaps I missed it, but was the Torah changed recently?
#’s 1 & 2 — The zionists don’t have any real Shabbos, so what do you expect?
#3 and you my dear brother cannot claim to have ahavas yisroel. there are “tzionim” who have yiras Hashem and are wonderful Jews with a lot of love for other Jews despite differences of opinion…what can be said about you on the other hand?!