Kikar HaShabbat
Encyclopedia
Kikar HaShabbat sometimes known in the Haredi community as Kikar Shabbos, is a major intersection joining five streets in Jerusalem, Israel
, between the Haredi neighborhoods of Meah Shearim and Geula
. Yehezkel st. from the north, Malchei Israel st. from the west, Mea She'arim st. from the east, Strauss st. from the south-east, and Yisha'ayahu st. from the south-west.
Since the early years of the State of Israel
, this intersection became a site of friction between Haredi and secular Jews over issues of Sabbath observance. Rallies and demonstrations held at this spot have sometimes turned violent. Due to its central location, the intersection is also a gathering place for community and holiday events, such as the second hakafot held on the night after Simhat Torah.
cooperative, but the Shabbat violation continued to increase.
In June 1948, a mass demonstration against Shabbat violation was held but forcibly dispersed by the military police. The situation became more sensitive after the war. The most direct road from Mandelbaum Gate
(a major army post on the border of divided Jerusalem) to the old Schneller Orphanage
(which had become the supply center for Jerusalem military units), went straight through the main Haredi neighborhoods, as well as through Kikar HaShabbat. The frequent passage of military vehicles through these neighborhoods on Shabbat was the starting point for many demonstrations. The decision of the nearby Edison and Eden theaters to open on Shabbat afternoons was another reason. These large-scale demonstrations lead to an atmosphere of culture war in Jerusalem.
The summer of 1950 saw an intensification of the demonstrations and the move of the center to what is now known as Kikar HaShabbat. The Shabbat demonstrations at the intersection were begun by members of Neturei Karta
, who oppose secular Zionism
and reject the authority of the state. The intersection is now closed to motor vehicles on Shabbat
and Jewish holidays. The intersection was traversed by military vehicles on a regular basis. The Tnuva dairy factory, located near the intersection, received shipments of milk from settlements near Jerusalem on Shabbat as well as weekdays. This traffic had to mix with large numbers of Haredi pedestrians. Haredi demonstrators adopted a tactic known as "Fred" after one of the community's leaders. The demonstrators filled the street with people and marched back and forth, forcing the vehicles to navigate slowly through the crowd. Youth yelled insults at the drivers, and occasionally stones were thrown. Police arrived and tried to disperse the demonstrators by force. The demonstrations soon became a focus of public attention.
On August 12, 1950, three trucks of youth from Hashomer Hatzair
movement - upset by the disturbances to the transfer of milk from their farms - arrived at a demonstration. Riots broke out between the two sides and were only restrained by police action. Rather than ending the demonstrations, the intervention of secular youth did much to unify the Haredi community and make its position more extreme.
The demonstrations continued every Shabbat afternoon, throughout that and the following summers. Due to the continuing protests, traffic through the intersection was reduced, as drivers wanted to avoid being delayed by demonstrations. In 1965 the intersection was officially closed to traffic on Shabbat, but years beforehand it had already been closed de facto. At the same time, there was an exodus of secular residents from the Geula
and Kerem Avraham
neighborhoods near the site.
The long-term impact of the protests was to give the Haredi community confidence in its ability to oppose the secular establishment and succeed in achieving its own goals. The struggles at Kikar HaShabbat set the tone for a Haredi approach to public issues which continues to be prominent to this very day.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, between the Haredi neighborhoods of Meah Shearim and Geula
Geula
Geula is a neighborhood in the center of Jerusalem, Israel populated mainly by Haredi Jews. Geula is bordered by Zikhron Moshe and Mekor Baruch on the west, the Bukharim neighborhood on the north, Meah Shearim on the east and the Jerusalem city center on the south.-History:Geula was established in...
. Yehezkel st. from the north, Malchei Israel st. from the west, Mea She'arim st. from the east, Strauss st. from the south-east, and Yisha'ayahu st. from the south-west.
Since the early years of the State of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, this intersection became a site of friction between Haredi and secular Jews over issues of Sabbath observance. Rallies and demonstrations held at this spot have sometimes turned violent. Due to its central location, the intersection is also a gathering place for community and holiday events, such as the second hakafot held on the night after Simhat Torah.
History
Tensions between Haredi Jews and the growing secular Zionist movement rose during the British Mandate period, beginning in 1917. The dominant point of conflict was Shabbat violation by secular Jews. Those Jews, who worked the other six days of the week, scheduled trips and soccer games for Shabbat. The "Shabbat War" followed, in which Jewish companies provided public transportation and sold agricultural produce on Shabbat. This led the Edah Haredit organization to ban produce of the TnuvaTnuva
Tnuva, or Tenuvah, is a cooperative in Israel specializing in milk and dairy products. The 620 members of the cooperative are made up a large number of kibbutzim and moshavim in Israel...
cooperative, but the Shabbat violation continued to increase.
In June 1948, a mass demonstration against Shabbat violation was held but forcibly dispersed by the military police. The situation became more sensitive after the war. The most direct road from Mandelbaum Gate
Mandelbaum Gate
Mandelbaum Gate is a former checkpoint between Israeli and Jordanian sectors of Jerusalem, just north of the western edge of the Old City along the Green Line...
(a major army post on the border of divided Jerusalem) to the old Schneller Orphanage
Schneller Orphanage
Schneller Orphanage was a Christian orphanage that operated in Jerusalem from 1860 until World War II. The orphanage grounds, located on Malchei Yisrael Street in central Jerusalem, became a British military base known as Camp Schneller. After 1948, the compound housed offices of the Israel...
(which had become the supply center for Jerusalem military units), went straight through the main Haredi neighborhoods, as well as through Kikar HaShabbat. The frequent passage of military vehicles through these neighborhoods on Shabbat was the starting point for many demonstrations. The decision of the nearby Edison and Eden theaters to open on Shabbat afternoons was another reason. These large-scale demonstrations lead to an atmosphere of culture war in Jerusalem.
The summer of 1950 saw an intensification of the demonstrations and the move of the center to what is now known as Kikar HaShabbat. The Shabbat demonstrations at the intersection were begun by members of Neturei Karta
Neturei Karta
Neturei Karta is a Haredi Jewish group formally created in Jerusalem, British Mandate of Palestine, in 1938, splitting off from Agudas Yisroel...
, who oppose secular Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
and reject the authority of the state. The intersection is now closed to motor vehicles on Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
and Jewish holidays. The intersection was traversed by military vehicles on a regular basis. The Tnuva dairy factory, located near the intersection, received shipments of milk from settlements near Jerusalem on Shabbat as well as weekdays. This traffic had to mix with large numbers of Haredi pedestrians. Haredi demonstrators adopted a tactic known as "Fred" after one of the community's leaders. The demonstrators filled the street with people and marched back and forth, forcing the vehicles to navigate slowly through the crowd. Youth yelled insults at the drivers, and occasionally stones were thrown. Police arrived and tried to disperse the demonstrators by force. The demonstrations soon became a focus of public attention.
On August 12, 1950, three trucks of youth from Hashomer Hatzair
Hashomer Hatzair
Hashomer Hatzair is a Socialist–Zionist youth movement founded in 1913 in Galicia, Austria-Hungary, and was also the name of the group's political party in the Yishuv in the pre-1948 British Mandate of Palestine...
movement - upset by the disturbances to the transfer of milk from their farms - arrived at a demonstration. Riots broke out between the two sides and were only restrained by police action. Rather than ending the demonstrations, the intervention of secular youth did much to unify the Haredi community and make its position more extreme.
The demonstrations continued every Shabbat afternoon, throughout that and the following summers. Due to the continuing protests, traffic through the intersection was reduced, as drivers wanted to avoid being delayed by demonstrations. In 1965 the intersection was officially closed to traffic on Shabbat, but years beforehand it had already been closed de facto. At the same time, there was an exodus of secular residents from the Geula
Geula
Geula is a neighborhood in the center of Jerusalem, Israel populated mainly by Haredi Jews. Geula is bordered by Zikhron Moshe and Mekor Baruch on the west, the Bukharim neighborhood on the north, Meah Shearim on the east and the Jerusalem city center on the south.-History:Geula was established in...
and Kerem Avraham
Kerem Avraham
Kerem Avraham is a neighbourhood near Geula in central Jerusalem, Israel, founded in 1855. It is bounded by Malchei Yisrael St, Yechezkel St, Tsefanya St and the Schneller Compound.-History:...
neighborhoods near the site.
The long-term impact of the protests was to give the Haredi community confidence in its ability to oppose the secular establishment and succeed in achieving its own goals. The struggles at Kikar HaShabbat set the tone for a Haredi approach to public issues which continues to be prominent to this very day.