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A Jewish bus stop in Kiryas Joel, New York

Judaism and bus stops refers to the significance of bus stops in Judaism. The use of bus stops in the Jewish religion is forbidden on Sabbath (Shabbat); doing so in preparation for motzei shabbath involves transgressions of the sanctity of the day by "preparing" (hachonah) for the mundane.

Bus stops are also of concern within the Jewish religious leadership as they sometimes feature immodest advertisements which are frowned upon. Although usually dealt with through the proper channels, such displays have often led to vigilante behaviour by Jewish extremists who set about destroying the bus stop in protest, especially in Israel.

Advertising

Usage

Jewish organisations use bus stops for advertising. Such groups include Lubavitch whose adverts highlight upcoming Jewish holidays and communal protection organisations, such as the CST who use bus stops to alert people to anti-Semitism. In areas of large hasidic populations, such as in Stamford Hill, posters have been displayed in Yiddish and English.

Opposition

Mayonnaise jar. Offensive to some Jews if displayed at bus stops.

Sometimes, bus stop adverts have become the target of attack by religious Jews who find them offensive. In Israel, a number of bus stops have been defaced or set alight. Haredim feel posters of semi-nude women at bus tops have negative effects on their children. Sometimes bus stops are destroyed for displaying such things as mayonnaise jars, even without any human aspect.

In New York, Rabbi Shea Hecht, who serves as Chairman of the Board of the National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education stated the following in response to the Metropolitan Transit Authority descision not to allow posters featuring scantily dressed women on appearing on buses:

Thirty years ago I was on the planning board in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and we approved shelters to be constructed at bus stops providing they did not show anything offensive to us. We're ecstatic that MTA made this decision and hope it sets a precedent for future advertising."

mid-1980s campaign in Israel

In 1986, Rabbi Rephoel Soloveitchik, scion of the great Brisker dynasty, was at the helm of a vigorous campaign against offensive bus stop advertisements in religious areas in Israel. It has been termed one of the "most dramatic operations of haredi activists" in recent times. During the campaign more than 100 bus shelters in the country were burned, 50 in Jerusalem alone. Some were covered with black spray paint. Mayor Teddy Kollek urged harsh measures against what he termed a "civil rebellion." Some orthodox Jews were arrested, but the bus stop attacks continued. One group calling itself Citizens Against Zealotry threatened that “a synagogue would burn for every bus shelter destroyed” and in one case, secular extremists did torch a synagogue.

In 1996, a company in Israel was pressurized in revamping a poster which showed a black horse crouching over a white horse. After a spate of bus stop burnings, Israeli fashion companies also had to replace adverts which had shown models. These actions have been viewed as 20th-century "religious censorship".

Jews for Jesus advert controversy

In 2006 in Johannesburg, South Africa, bitter controversy arouse when the Jews for Jesus group launched a promotional campaign targeting Jews for conversion. Posters were placed at numerous bus stops in traditionally Jewish suburbs. One of the adverts suggested that "10 out of 10 Jewish doctors recommend Jesus". The Union of Orthodox Synagogues alerted the advertising regulator who ruled that the adverts were indeed offensive to orthodox Jews.

Gender mingling

Within the intrests of Tzniut, Haredi society have highlighted that bus stops are loci of improper mingling of genders. In response, some area of Jerusalem have installed separate bus stops are set up adjacent to each other to allow for men and women to remain at respectful distances. In 2010 it was reported that Egged would provide haredim-only bus stops to serve the mahedrin route.

Daubings and attacks

Bus stops have been targeted by racists who daub anti-semitic grafitti. In Salford, a large black swastika was painted in black paint and approximately 18 inches in diameter. In London, "Kill Jews" was sprayed.

Bus stops are a place for potential anti-semitic attacks. In Northern Israel, three yeshiva boys were attacked at a bus stop. Their holy books and their tefillin were set ablaze after they had run away.

Bus stops which are being used by Jews, especially as they make their journey home for Sabbath, are regularly attacked by terrorists in Israel. On the eve of the Jewish olympics a suicide bomber blew himself up at a bus stop near a railway station in central Israel, killing two Israeli soldiers and injuring four other people.

Assistance

The Mesillah organisation advises that when a blind person is waiting at a bus stop, it is recommended to ask which bus is needed and to let the person know when it arrives. If a bus suddenly arrives, the best thing is to simply announce which bus number.

Kovod ha-Rav (Respect for elders)

Bus stops are used as locations to fulfill the mitzvah of Kovod Raboi. The students of Kol Torah yeshiva were accustomed to greet Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach on his arrival at the bus stop near the yeshiva. On the way to the yeshiva, they would ask him questions. After the lecture, they would accompany him back to the bus stop, discussing Torah with him the entire time.

Shabbat

In Jewish law, one may not walk to a bus stop on Shabbat if one intends to take a bus as soon as Shabbat ends. This falls under the category of hachonoh (preparation for the mundane). One can certainly not linger at a bus stop during Sabbath as this may cause maris ayin (suspect behaviour) since using buses on Sabbath is forbidden. There may also be an aspect of ovda de'chol involved. Although, beshass hadechak, one could lean against the bus stop or use a bus shelter to aleviate hardship, as long as one does so with a shinui.

Waiting at bus stops

Moral discipline

left|thumb|upright|The story of Rabbi Lopian at the bus stop is famous and has been shared as an example of ethical self-improvement It is said that Rabbi Elya Lopian was once waiting at a bus stop for a long time. He finally looked up to see if a bus was coming. Afterwards, he chastised himself, as his futile action had not accomplished anything and had shown a lack of trust in God’s providence.

Charity boxes

In and around religious neighbourhoods in Israel, it is common to find charity boxes affixed to bus stops. This stems from the Jewish belief that giving charity before undertaking a journey provides protection from harm. Recently the Jerusalem municipality decided to remove them as they had been attached without permission. Cllr Joe Lobenstein of London wrote of his dismay at the councils decsion. The move was abandonded after the council gave in to public sentiment.

Western Wall bus stop

Western Wall bus stop, used by hundreds of people each day

Directly behind the Dung Gate lies the entrance to the Western Wall compound. At night, Egged city buses pass through the gate to the Western Wall bus stop, which lies just behind the gate; during the day, the buses stop on the road outside the gate, because the increased number of buses had cluttered up the bus stop inside the Old City walls.

Memorials

Sometimes, in the aftermath of bombings at bus stops in Israel, impromptu memorials are set up. Prayers adorn the shelter walls while prayer books and psalms are left inside the shelter.

See also

• Driving on Shabbat in Jewish law

Further reading

• Tzvia Ehrlich-Klein. On bus stops, bakers, and beggars.