A new water tower will allow the Israeli, haredi town of Modi’in Illit to have “completely shomer Shabbos waterâ€?; inhabitants can receive water on Shabbos “without human intervention. The water tower is filled to the top before Shabbos and the pumps bringing in water … are turned off at the beginning of Shabbos.â€? (Shema Yisrael Torah Network)
Some haredi neighborhoods in Jerusalem refuse to use electricity produced by Israel Electric on Shabbat, because of concern that IE unnecessarily desecrates Shabbat to produce electricity. Plans are formulated to provide kosher, but significantly more expensive, kosher electricity. (JPost)
Chief Military Rabbi Brig.-Gen. Avichai Ronsky defends himself against charges of desecrating the Shabbat, when he decided to accompany a combat unit to an operation in the Gaza Strip. (YNet)
haredi
Pronounced: hah-RAY-dee, Origin: Hebrew, literally “in awe of” or “fearing” God, this means ultra-Orthodox or fervently Orthodox.
Shabbat
Pronounced: shuh-BAHT or shah-BAHT, Origin: Hebrew, the Sabbath, from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.
Torah
Pronunced: TORE-uh, Origin: Hebrew, the Five Books of Moses.
