The Israel Airports Authority continues to demand that job applicants commit to working on Shabbat and Jewish festivals, despite assurances that religious employees would be accommodated.
In a notice sent on behalf of the Recruitment Department of the Airports Authority to a person who applied for a position as a transportation worker at Ben Gurion Airport, it was written: "You were summoned for an interview with a transportation worker at Ben Gurion Airport. Pay attention to the threshold requirements for the job - shift work, including availability for Saturdays / holidays."
The Airports Authority clarified to Israel National News on Sunday that religious and haredi employees are permitted to take off for Shabbat. Despite this assurance, prospective employee Moshe Goldberg received an email response this morning saying that he could not be hired as long as he would work on Saturday nights but would refuse to work on Shabbat. "There is no such option," the email read.
Goldberg told Israel National News: G-d have mercy on us that we have reached this situation. It hurts me very much that as a religious person I am excluded from a government position. It hurts me very much that as a religious person I am being excluded from a government position. This isn't the first time haredim have been excluded."
He said, "It hurts that in the State of Israel, the so-called Jewish state, the haredim are treated as third-class citizens and it hurts more that a Jew who keeps Torah and mitzvos is excluded from many positions here in the country. Especially at this time when everyone knows that there is a shortage of workers at Ben Gurion Airport."
The Airports Authority said: "This email is a serious mistake and we apologize for it. It has been unequivocally determined that each candidate will be checked according to his data regardless of his ability to work all days of the week. About 90 out of 420 workers in the unit are Shabbat observant,"