London – The Jewish Museum in London’s decision to open on Saturdays from the end of this month could set a precedent for other Jewish cultural institutions.
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The museum, which reopened last year in expanded premises in Camden, hopes to attract more non-Jewish visitors on Saturday.
But it says that no Jewish staff or volunteers will be asked to work on Shabbat and the kosher cafa will be closed.
The Jewish Community Centre for London, which hopes to open its new building in 2013, plans to open on Saturdays. But its rationale is different from the Jewish Museum in that it is main clientele is likely to be Jewish.
JCC chief executive Nick Viner explained: “We will not take money on Shabbat and the building will be Shabbat-compliant. We have specified in our tender document that there should be a Shabbat-compliant lift and we are looking at things such as electronic triggers, heat, water, security.”
The JCC was in discussion with “a cross-section” of rabbis, he said.
Shabbat was “an important day of the week when people can enjoy meeting other people and doing stuff together,” he said.
“It would be a real shame if we couldn’t do things on that day. The building should be open to people who observe Shabbat and should feel it’s ok to come there.”
“no Jewish staff or volunteers will be asked to work on Shabbat” which is double talk meaning that the Jews can work also on the Shabbat if they so desire!
Scream: “Shabbos!”
Like the JCC in Baltimore last year!
this is huge that they would make the building shabbat compliant
Shame my local bar is not shabbos compliant
Do they hold weddings and bar mitzvahs at this facility?
? Were we “paid” for our work during Shabbat when we were slaves in eretz Mitzrayim? AND – ?doesn’t our Holy Torah b’yad Moshe say that even livestock are blessed with a-day-of-rest (AKA Shabbat)?