This was reported by Arutz Sheva (Israel National News). You can read the original article here.

Apparently there is a bill to promote Sunday as a day of rest in Israel, which has traditionally observed the Sabbath as the official rest day. And according to the article, there is a majority of public support for it (although not necessarily overwhelming support). There are two components of the bill: Easing restrictions against public transportation and entertainment on the Sabbath (businesses and government would remain closed), and making Sunday “a second day of rest” during which businesses would be closed. To accommodate two rest days, the daily work hours from Monday to Friday would increase from 8 to 9 hours.

Curiously, the explanation for instituting Sunday rest is that “Sabbath-observant families [would be able] to spend more time together.” Evidently the Sabbath is not regarded as a family day. Another interesting consequence of this law (if I understand the article correctly) is that the increased work hours on Friday would make Sabbath observance more difficult for those who observe it from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, which is the traditional (and biblical) way of observing it.

I am reminded of the progress of Sabbath-Sunday observance in the early Christian church. As I recall from historical sources I’ve read, there was a time when both the Sabbath and Sunday were observed: the Sabbath as a day of fasting (self-denial, serious reflection), and Sunday as a day of rejoicing and Christian fellowship. It is not hard to imagine which day would become more popular eventually. And it seems the proposed bill is taking Israel down a similar path.

If the bill passes, one can easily suppose what the reaction might be here in the States: If devout (and not so devout) Israelis can see the light in Sunday rest, why not all the Christians of our nation?

(If you would like to learn more about Christian Sabbath observance, click here. It’s a link to the website Sabbath Truth.)