In a bizarre move that's got people from the Western Wall to West Jerusalem up in arms, city officials are actively promoting Christmas tours to Orthodox Jewish residents – and they're even advertising them as "Shabbat-observant."
The controversial campaign, which invites observant Jews to explore Christmas traditions in Jerusalem's Old City "even if you don't celebrate," has touched a nerve in a city where religious sensitivities often run high. The tours, organized under official municipal sponsorship, promise to explain the Christian holiday's significance while respecting Orthodox Jewish religious restrictions.
City Hall, however, is standing firm. "Jerusalem is a place of tolerance and pluralism," a municipal spokesperson told News 14, insisting the tours are strictly cultural, not missionary. "This is just tourism, like any other tour we offer throughout the year."
But in a city where even opening a coffee shop on Shabbat can spark protests, marketing Christmas celebrations to Orthodox Jews seems particularly offensive. The promotional materials specifically highlight that the tours are "Shomer Shabbat" – meaning they strictly observe Jewish religious law – in what appears to be a deliberate attempt to attract religious Jewish participants.
Channel 14 contributed to this article.
