Ben Gurion Workers Ordered to Work on Yom Kippur for First Time
Breaking decades of precedent, cargo handlers at Israel's main airport told to report for duty on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar to clear operational backlog.
Employees of Maman cargo company at Ben Gurion Airport were shocked to discover they are required to report for work during Yom Kippur and continue loading cargo aircraft, in order to clear operational backlogs that have accumulated in the company's operations.
Throughout the entire history of the State of Israel, the world's only Jewish state, the sanctity of the holiest day has been preserved and all activity in the country comes to a halt on Yom Kippur.
The only day of the year when Ben Gurion Airport closes is Yom Kippur, and for all these years the status quo has been maintained, until now.
The decision to operate the cargo aircraft loading system during the holy day has drawn criticism from employees, particularly given that this is a day when activity in the Israeli economy is significantly reduced, and the work is intended only to complete delays in cargo shipment schedules.
Following Maman company's notice to its employees, Knesset Member Avi Maoz, chairman of the Noam party, contacted Transportation and Road Safety Minister Miri Regev demanding her immediate intervention. In his letter to Minister Regev, MK Maoz made clear that a situation in which workers are required to report for work on Yom Kippur to complete operational backlogs cannot be tolerated.
"It is unacceptable that in the State of Israel workers should be required to report and work on Yom Kippur, the holiest day for the Jewish people, for the purpose of completing operational backlogs," MK Maoz wrote, demanding that the transportation minister act to cancel the directive immediately and clarify to the relevant parties that workers must not be required to work during Yom Kippur.
According to him, this is the holiest day for the Jewish people, and there is no place to impose a requirement or pressure on workers to work on the day. MK Maoz emphasized that the sanctity of the day must be respected and desecration of Yom Kippur in a public place like the airport must be prevented.
In recent years, complaints have been raised several times regarding Shabbat and holiday desecration at Ben Gurion, and this time the decision involves operating workers specifically on Yom Kippur, which has sparked sharp criticism among the haredi and religious public.
The Israel Airports Authority stated: "The publication claiming that Ben Gurion operates on Yom Kippur is incorrect. Every year, during Yom Kippur air activity at Ben Gurion is suspended and there are no takeoffs or landings. Maman company is a private company, and the notice distributed on its behalf refers to the company's activity only and does not indicate flight activity at the airport. The Israel Airports Authority requests to rely on its official announcements regarding all matters concerning Ben Gurion activity."