Afula City Council to approve proposal: Ban on driving lessons on Shabbat

July 17, 2022   

The Afula City Council is expected to approve a proposal this week to ban driving schools from operating in the city on Shabbat and holidays. This is reported by Adi Hashmonai in Haaretz. The decision is expected to mainly affect residents of nearby Arab communities, as the licensing ministry's driving tests for residents of the Jezreel Valley are held in the city of Afula - the largest and most central city in the region, and due to the poor infrastructure in the surrounding communities. Driving lessons are usually held in the arena where the tests are conducted by driving examiners, with the intention of improving preparation for them. Among others, residents of Ikhsel, Shabli, Umm al-Ghanem and Naura study in the city. City Council member Itay Cohen, who submitted the proposal that is expected to win a majority - said: "Afula is a Jewish city that observes tradition, and anyone who wants to learn to drive on Shabbat and holidays should do so like other businesses that are open on Shabbat - in industrial areas or outside the city." He emphasized the reason for submitting the proposal: "Just as in 2015 we fought for our truth against the sale of land to Arabs and won in court - when it was discovered that the purchase was coordinated and systematic, so now we are fighting for the truth, justice and our legitimate right." Sources in the municipality told Haaretz that its legal advisor estimated that the proposal would be able to overcome legal obstacles, on the grounds that it "implements balances between the prohibitions and the alternative solutions." Mayor Avi Elkabetz said in a conversation with Haaretz: "As a general idea, I support the proposal." He explained: "The convenience of driving instructors cannot come at the expense of Shabbat rest in residential neighborhoods, and certainly not near synagogues." According to him, "the examination of the proposal is only at its beginning. The issue needs to be examined from the perspective of the law and enforcement and the proposal needs to be approved by the council, the traffic committee and the Ministry of Transportation." Elkabetz did not address the intention to prevent Arabs from moving around the city as part of the move. Shelby Lin, a resident of Ichsel who runs a driving school in Afula, warned that the proposal would harm students who work all week and can only study on Shabbat. "I'm in favor of respecting people," he told Haaretz. "And it's unacceptable to me to enter a religious neighborhood on Shabbat, but it's also unacceptable to block access to all the streets. This is an infringement on freedom of occupation and movement. Students will be forced to give up a day of work to learn to drive, and this will harm their livelihood.".