The southern city of Sderot is set to team up with two car rental services to help local residents without a vehicle get around, but one of these companies will levy a fine of NIS 10,000 on anyone attempting to use their vehicles on Shabbat.
Shlomo Share and City Car, the two vehicle operators in Sderot, will both allow residents to rent a car for as little as few hours via their own apps.
But City Car, currently Israel's largest such rental car company with a fleet of some 400 vehicles, specializes in dealing with the ultra-Orthodox sector. And its terms of use will likely come as a surprise the company’s secular clientele.
While the company does not charge customers for car rental hours on Shabbat - which begins at sundown on Friday and lasts until sundown Saturday - it also prohibits its use during those hours.
Any customer who so much as unlocks a City Car vehicle during Shabbat risks a fine of NIS 10,000 - unless the client can prove it was used for an emergency journey.
Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi praised the imminent cooperation with the two companies, even mentioning the need for private transportation on Shabbat, when there are few buses and no trains.
“These new services provide a solution for accessible, high-quality shared transportation with no financial commitment. The partnerships will allow young drivers and soldiers to get around easily, safely and comfortably on weekends," he said.
"We are making a lot of effort to bring in innovative and technological solutions for smart transportation, which will provide a quality solution for residents, reduce dependence on private vehicles and public transportation and connect the city to all parts of the country.