Israeli comedian to keep Shabbat for the first time

Israeli comedian Guy Hochman announced on Saturday evening that he would fully observe the next Shabbat as a call for unity in Israel.

Next Shabbat is the one directly before Purim. It is traditionally known as Shabbat Zachor, the Shabbat of remembering, due to the special reading of the commandment to wipe out Amalek (Deuteronomy 25:17-19).

“I may not be religious, but I am a very proud Jew, and we all remember, and need to remember, October 7th,” he told his tens of thousands of followers. “Next Shabbat, Shabbat Zachor, the Shabbat of ‘ Remember what Amalek did to you’, directly before Purim - I will keep Shabbat for the first time in my life.”

“I am not keeping Shabbat for the Redemption, but for the unity of Israel, and for our heroic soldiers at the front.”

“The heart of most of Israel is in the right place today. We are ready in our hearts. I say that we should keep one Shabbat, stop the divisive discourse, and bring the spirit of a shared destiny from the front to our homes.”

“We will stop fighting. We’re not teenagers, and no one is completely right. For one Shabbat, turn off the screens. We won’t let anyone divide us again. On Shabbat, we were murdered for being Jews. On Shabbat, we will stand up and say that we are proud to be Jews, so that any enemies who think that our nation is crumbling will know that the Eternal Nation will not break that easily. ‘The Eternal Nation isn’t afraid of a long journey’”, he declared, citing a popular Israeli catchphrase.

Hochman asked that at least one hundred thousand Jews keep Shabbat. ‘’Come along with me, let’s get one hundred thousand Jews to keep Shabbat for the first time, like me. We’ll show our enemies what kind of nation we are. On Shabbat, they came to murder us, and on Shabbat, we will stand up and say that we are proud to be Jewish. ‘Remember what Amalek did to you,’’ he concluded.