We came to bring joy, to be a place of entertainment. Maybe because of the elections people allow themselves more
Following violent clashes in Jerusalem around a café operating on Shabbat, the owners of the 'Bandita' café in Ramat Gan, which was set on fire three times, share their feelings. They call on municipal leaders to support business owners, while in Herzliya, the Otello ice cream parlor closed its doors on Shabbat after acts of vandalism and arson. In Dimona, the debate over the opening of Super-Pharm on Shabbat continues.
During the past Shabbat, ultra-Orthodox protesters rioted in Jerusalem, broke through police barriers set up around the 'Basimta' café, and clashed with patrons over the 'desecration of Shabbat.' The events brought the owners of the 'Bandita' café in Ramat Gan back to a series of attacks they suffered over the past month, including three arson incidents. Only on Friday, an indictment was filed against three ultra-Orthodox men from Beitar Illit for one of the arsons. The café owner, Shachaf, says she has become a symbol in a struggle that is not hers, and calls on municipal leaders to support business owners. In Herzliya, the Otello ice cream parlor closed its doors on Shabbat after acts of vandalism and arson, and the owners stated they would not take risks until a safe environment is ensured. In Dimona, a Super-Pharm branch that opened on Shabbat sparked public debate, but the storm subsided with the outbreak of the Second Iran War at the end of February.