Rabbis in Beit Shemesh have issued a joint letter imposing new restrictions on the operating hours of food establishments in the city, claiming that some of these venues have become nighttime hangouts for youth, posing a “major spiritual and moral obstacle and a great danger.”
According to the new regulations, restaurants and fast-food shops will be required to close no later than 11:00 p.m., except in special cases.
The letter, titled “Guarding the Sanctity of Our City,” harshly criticizes the growing phenomenon of eateries remaining open late into the night.
“These stores remain open during the late-night hours, and this causes groups of young people to gather nearby, turning these places into settings ripe for misconduct,” wrote the rabbis in the letter published on the BeHadrei Haredim website.
The new rules include a complete ban on eating or lingering outside the stores, including in adjacent areas, and a requirement that all shops close by 11:00 p.m.
In exceptional cases - primarily on Thursday nights for the sale of cholent (a traditional Jewish stew) - sales will be permitted until midnight, but only for sealed takeaway portions, with no option to eat on-site.
The rabbis preemptively rejected any economic arguments from business owners, writing:“There is no room for monetary considerations when a place serves as a source of spiritual stumbling.”
They placed full responsibility on the store owners and concluded with a call to residents to “buy only from shops that comply with these regulations.”