NEWS FEATURE: Proposed time change in Britain upsets Jews, Muslims

c. 1996 Religion News Service LONDON (RNS)-Some Orthodox Jews and Muslims are objecting to a proposal to advance Britain’s clocks an hour and put the entire country on Central European Time. Such a move would make carefully planned religious observances-early-morning prayers and sabbath observances for Jews, and mid-day prayers for Muslims-more difficult, the groups say. […]

c. 1996 Religion News Service

LONDON (RNS)-Some Orthodox Jews and Muslims are objecting to a proposal to advance Britain’s clocks an hour and put the entire country on Central European Time.

Such a move would make carefully planned religious observances-early-morning prayers and sabbath observances for Jews, and mid-day prayers for Muslims-more difficult, the groups say. But proponents say moving up the clock would save lives on British roads by extending daylight commuting time.


The proposal, contained in a bill to be debated Friday (Jan. 19) by the House of Commons, is not likely to get through Parliament in the near future. The British government is neutral on the issue, no doubt because of opposition from Scotland, which would have to wait until nearly 10 a.m. or later for daylight to arrive during the bleak winter months.

Still, the debate underscores how strongly a seemingly secular policy change can reverberate throughout a nation’s religious community.

The measure, covering the entire United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, would align British time with that of continental Europe, moving up the British clock one hour in fall and winter, two hours in spring and summer.

Proponents say the bill would result in 2,000 fewer road injuries, including 120 deaths, each year. In 1994, traffic accidents were responsible for 3,650 deaths in Great Britain.

But some in Britain’s Orthodox Jewish community, numbering an estimated 150,000, say changing the clock would make it difficult for observant Jews to attend prayer services before work.

Morning prayer in the synagogue cannot be held before dawn, which in Judaism is interpreted as the first hint of light-about an hour before sunrise. In winter in London, sunrise doesn’t come until about 8 a.m. A time change would mean many Jews could arrive at work tardy to attend services.

Not only that, a large part of the morning service can be said only if at least 10 Jewish men are present-the minyan that is the essential quorum for synagogue services. Among the prayers that could not be said in the absence of a minyan is the kaddish, which must be recited each day for a year after the death of one’s parent, sibling, spouse or child.


A different problem would occur during summertime sabbath observances. Because the Jewish sabbath begins Friday at dusk and ends at nightfall on Saturday, a summertime sabbath observance in London wouldn’t end until about 11:30 p.m. In Scotland, sabbath wouldn’t conclude until well after midnight.”There are various services and ceremonies which take place at the conclusion of sabbath which would be very difficult if the clocks were changed,”says Neville Nagler, chief executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

Still, Nagler said the saving of life is a fundamental principle of Jewish law and would take precedence over the convenience of times of prayer and fasting.”The question is how well founded is the statistical material on which the case is made out,”he said.”In the Board (of Deputies of British Jews), we are not statistical experts, but we understand that the material is regarded as sound, so we have to take full account of that.” There have also been objections from the Muslim community, which totals at least 1.5 million in Britain.

Muslims must pray five times daily, and there are extra requirements for Friday prayers: They are supposed to be said in a congregation, and one of the prayers must be said about noon when the sun is at its highest.”At present it fits very conveniently into the lunch hour of many workers,”explained Faisal Bodi of Q News, the British Muslim weekly.”But if the clocks were to move forward two hours in summer instead of the one at present, the sun would reach its height only at about 2 o’clock or even after.” This would mean Muslim workers would need understanding employers who would let them take their lunch hours between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the summer.”From our experience,”said Bodi,”it is not always the case that you get obliging bosses.”

MJP END NOWELL

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