Ashdod is a city of inclusion.. I lived in a neighborhood next door to a shul. The kids went to shul and then went to the sea. Everything was accepted, lighting the shabbos candles and then lighting a cigarette form the shabbos candles. This coercion is not acceptable.
-- MK Ilan Gilon (Meretz), at a rally in Ashdod regarding the minimarket law and the status of Shabbos and stores in Ashdod
Gilon's statement has raised a bit of a ruckus in the Haredia media. How brazen of him to talk about, with no shame, how they would light shabbos candles and then light their cigarettes from those candless???!! How dare he!!
From another perspective, at least they lit Shabbos candles!
The kiruv organizations and religious groups take pride in showing from the statistics of Israel that Israel is largely not a secular society, but a traditional one, and even the majority of Jews who do not formally observe the Shabbos, do so in some way, such as with Shabbos candles, kiddush, and a family meal, even if after they do other things.
So what is the big deal that they light their cigarettes form the Shabbos candles? As a matter of fact, unlike with Hanukkah candles, Shabbos candles are meant for our benefit and to enjoy. Obviously we are not supposed to use them to light cigarettes, or anything else, but using them in this manner is no worse than lighting up the BBQ, turning on the television, driving to the store or the beach or whatever else they do.
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