The Orthodox Jewish community in New York has averted potential problems that lay buried in a bill before the State Senate that would have made Daylight Saving Time mandatory the year-round.
Mindful of problems encountered by Orthodox Jews in England with the introduction of full Daylight time there, Rabbi Moshe Sherer appealed successfully to State Sen. John Marchi not to seek passage of the bill. Rabbi Sherer is executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America.
The Marchi bill would have given New York City residents an extra hour of daylight that would have benefited homeward-bound school children and working women. Rabbi Sherer pointed out that Daylight time in winter would mean advancing the clock for one hour. According to religious law, the earliest time that morning prayers can begin is an hour before sunrise. In winter the sun rises about 7:15 A.M. (Eastern Standard Time), and prayers cannot begin before 6:15 A.M. If an observant Jew had to begin praying at 7:15 A.M. many who must be at work early would face a conflict, Rabbi Sherer pointed out.
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