Keeping the Sabbath question

[Keeve]

*Originally posted by cmkeller *
While I’m sure some of our lawyer Dopers could supply the correct terminology,

IANAL, but I beleive that most places which have such laws require the employer to make “reasonable accomodation” for such religious things. Depending on the business, it may or may not be reasonable to allow an employee to always be exempt from Saturday - or late Friday - work.

[Keeve]

*Originally posted by sdimbert *
**I feel the need to point out that minimizing the fact that “the afternoon prayers will have to be skipped” is not something to do lightly. Jewish men are required to pray 3 times a day and each of the three services has an official “beginning time” and “ending time;” a window of opportunity, if you will. If, during the Winter, when sunset occurs early in the afternoon, Friday Night services begain after sunset, the congregation would be deprived of the opportunity to pray Mincha (the afternoon service) with a Minyan (a quorum of 10). This is, at best, frowned upon. **

I most definitely agree. But my main point was that the Friday Afternoon service is no different than the Thursday (or Otherday) Afternoon service in this regard.

[Keeve]

*Originally posted by rivulus *
**How would the timing of prayers and services be handled if you lived in the far north or south where during mid-winter and mid-summer there may be no sunrise or sunset? **

This can indeed be a real problem. Some rabbis say to use the schedules of the nearest Jewish community that does have a sunrise and sunset. Others simply say to avoid the situation. (There are other answers too, but too complicated to explain in this forum.)