News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) In light of numerous complaints against some Tel Aviv hotels which ask religious guests to either desecrate Shabbat by checking out on the Jewish day of rest or pay significantly higher prices, cancel vacations, or wait in the lobby until after sunset, the Tel Aviv Religious Council turned to the city’s Hotel Association and demanded that it change its current policies and allow guests to stay in their rooms until Shabbat ends.

The Association argued that it is an international practice to request check-outs in the afternoon.  The religious council said that the practice of evicting guests or charging them high fees for a few extra hours is "shameful" and also hurts tourism.

Hotels throughout Israel generally allow Shabbat observant Jews to remain in their rooms until they can leave at an appropriate time after the conclusion of Shabbat.