Get on the shabus

'On the weekends, residents should not have to rely solely on their cars, bicycles or feet.'

By ARIEL BARBIERI-AGHIB, SHANA MEDEL
Screen grab from video on Shabus website, detailing why Shabbat transportation is a necessity for some city residents. (photo credit: Courtesy)
Screen grab from video on Shabus website, detailing why Shabbat transportation is a necessity for some city residents.
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Not all Jerusalem residents welcome Shabbat every Friday night. Exasperated by the Transportation Ministry’s prohibition against bus and light rail service on the Jewish day of rest, a cooperative of Jerusalemites initiated the alternative Shabus bus line in April.
With the secular and non-Jewish communities in mind, social activists established the Cooperative Transportation Association of Jerusalem. Since its inception, the organization has raised over NIS 111,000 through crowdfunding website Headstart and attracted nearly 900 supporters.
Co-founder and chairwoman Dr. Laura Wharton of Meretz says that in addition to catering to the student population, the cooperative aims to provide services to those without vehicles, who comprise 87 percent of the capital’s population.
“We created a model that was legal and user-friendly,” Wharton asserts.
“The Shabus only runs on major roads to avoid being disruptive.”
Because it is a private transportation service, the Shabus is allowed to operate on Shabbat under city law. In addition, the cooperative signed an agreement with a bus company from east Jerusalem, hiring Muslim drivers due to the prohibition of employing Jews on Shabbat.
Service is available from Pisgat Ze’ev to Beit Hakerem and is limited to members of the cooperative, who pay NIS 50 for an annual membership in addition to NIS 12 for each bus ride. Buses operate between 8 p.m. on Friday and 4 a.m. on Saturday. Shabus routes, frequency and operating costs are determined by the cooperative, but an influx of members would contribute to decreased costs, additional routes, and increased frequency.
City councilman Tamir Nir, who holds the transportation portfolio, argues that the capital is responsible for addressing the needs of its citizens, including the right to transportation on Shabbat.
On the weekends, residents should not have to rely solely on their cars, bicycles or feet, he says.
He deems the alternative bus line a temporary solution and says he is hopeful it will pave the way to an expansion of service on Shabbat, encouraging the creation of similar programs in other large cities, such as Tel Aviv and Ashdod.
“I believe it will change. The question is whether it will take two years or 20 years,” he says.
Still, there are many who contend that it should not and will not change. The backlash from Jerusalem’s Orthodox community has ranged from disputing the validity of transportation on Shabbat, to criticizing the message it conveys to the local and global community.
As a religious woman and a mother of six, Rebbetzin Merissa Gross maintains that the operation of such a bus is insulting and ironic.
“It contradicts the essence of Shabbat,” she says. “Jerusalem has been unique in that public transportation does not run on Shabbat, and it is terribly upsetting that this should change with the Shabus.”
She adds that it is disrespectful to enable the desecration of Shabbat, especially in the State of Israel.
“When Jews break Shabbat, they should not want it to be a public thing and be proud of it,” she explains. “Religious Jews do not force non-religious Jews to watch them eat Shabbat meals and go to synagogue. In the same vein, non-religious Jews should not force religious Jews to watch them breaking Shabbat in public. There needs to be mutual respect.”
Nevertheless, members and supporters of the cooperative are anticipating the growth of the Shabus.
“I’m talking about the Shabus every chance I can,” Nir affirms.
“It’s an important step in having transportation on Friday and Saturday, and I will do as much as I can as long as I am responsible.” 
For more information: www.shabus.co.il/index_en.html