Ben Gurion International airport
Ben Gurion International airportFlash 90

A haredi man who applied to work at Ben Gurion International Airport but was refused due to his Shabbat (Sabbath) observance was called Friday morning for an interview with the Israel Airports Authority.

The applicant, Moshe Goldberg, on Tuesday filed a complaint with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission head Adv. Miriam Kabha after the Israel Airports Authority informed him that he could only be hired to work at Ben Gurion Airport if he agreed to desecrate the Shabbat by working on Friday nights and Saturdays.

Earlier this week, it was reported that 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."

When Goldberg said that he was available Saturday night, but not during the Sabbath itself (from Friday at sunset until Saturday at nightfall - ed.), he was told, "There is no such option."

Following the publication of the matter by Israel National News - Arutz Sheva and an appeal submitted earlier this week by Goldberg himself, Goldberg was called for a work interview.

In addition, Deputy Director General of the Israel Airports Authority Aryeh Kadosh sent a letter to Goldberg saying that he is interested in meeting him and speaking with him about the possibility of employing haredim.

He added, "The response that you received from the recruitment tester is wrong, and I apologize for that. The Airports Authority employs many people who do not work on Shabbat."

Attorney Michael Litwack, who is representing Goldberg, said, "It is very sad that only after a lawsuit was filed, with legal fees and great anguish, my client was called for a meeting. My client will be happy to come to the meeting, to hear that the guideline was canceled and that anyone can be accepted to work in accordance with his talents and without discrimination based on his religion and the fact that he observes the Sabbath. I fully hope that my client will be able to work and earn a living honorably, in addition to the appropriate compensation for the anguish and the expenses he had until now."