ISRAEL — At a time when issues of religious worship are widely discussed in Jerusalem among all religions, the lay leadership of synagogue boards in Northern Israel have become fed up with cell phones ringing in the middle of prayer services.
As a result, they have decided to take action and have sought a permit to install cell phone jamming equipment and have sent the Israel Communications Ministry a request for it to examine the possibility of authorizing the use of equipment that disrupts cell phone reception in synagogues in Northern Israel.
Shuls Want to Jam Cell Phones During Davening
ISRAEL — At a time when issues of religious worship are widely discussed in Jerusalem among all religions, the lay leadership of synagogue boards in Northern Israel have become fed up with cell phones ringing in the middle of prayer services.
As a result, they have decided to take action and have sought a permit to install cell phone jamming equipment and have sent the Israel Communications Ministry a request for it to examine the possibility of authorizing the use of equipment that disrupts cell phone reception in synagogues in Northern Israel.
The initiative was born following a request by Shlomo Burzuki, the sexton of the Yad Lebanim Synagogue in Kiryat Shmona. “I regret to say that it’s become a state-wide plague,” said Mr. Burzuki.
“In the very place where we’re supposed to connect to the Holy One Blessed Be He with a quiver in our bodies, people engage in the inanities of the world.”
Mr. Burzuki, who wanted to put an end to cell phone use in his synagogue during services, took the matter up with Ofer Cohen, chairman of the Lobby for Jewish Values.
Mr. Cohen sympathized with the sexton’s problem and said that he suffered from the same difficulty in Tiberias, where he lives.
“The situation has become insufferable,” Mr. Cohen said in a shocked tone of voice. “People come to synagogue and, instead of cleaving with the Creator, they listen to third- and fourth-generation conversations.”
Mr. Cohen drafted a petition that seeks to prevent the use of cellular telephones in synagogues.
He also submitted a request for a license from the Communication Ministry to use jamming equipment that would affect a radius of between approximately 165 and 230 feet — equipment that would be installed in synagogue prayer halls.
Such jamming equipment is often used in sensitive Israeli intelligence venues and in combat units in the Israeli army to prevent conversations from being conveyed to Hezbollah and Hamas.
About Time
There’s an idea!
What a concept….
WHAT?
and what happens when g-d forbid theres a terrorist attack? how are you gonna make emergency phone calls??
ah poshta yid fuen shcuna
100 % .. i agree … they should put in 770 . u wanna yeap go out side . leave a msg on yr phone i am in a meeting now , will call u back later .. come on some respect ,
Berditchiv
which is greater-love for Hashem or love for one’s fellow Jew? Love for one’s fellow Jew because if one loves the children, one loves the Father. So Hashem should please forgive anyone who listens to their cell phone during shul-they are just trying to have ahavas Yisrael for those calling them-maybe so they can say a little prayer for them.
Takeh
They are 100 percent correct.
Shul should be a place for prayer, not a Grand Central hangout.
mendy
“and what happens when g-d forbid theres a terrorist attack? how are you gonna make emergency phone calls??”
When Hashem see’s you are trying to do better he’ll protect us
Yossi
WHAT? wrote:
and what happens when g-d forbid theres a terrorist attack? how are you gonna make emergency phone calls??
Walk out of the shul and make the emergency phone calls.
Zalman
Please do it ASAP in all the shulls in crown heights including 770.
Do you know how many times I don’t answer amen and yehi shmei rabba Because their is so much talking in shul that I didn’t hear the chazan
sara
I think the idea has good intentions. however what if there is an emergency chas v; sholom at home and a wife has to get in touch with her husband? what if a woman goes into labor? or they need to call hatzalah from the shull if god forbid some needs. people should have enough control on their own that we don’t need to block the calls.
Sarah
In the case of making emergency calls, leaving the shul is a good solution. But if the emergency call is coming from the outside, then blocking it could be dangerous.