JERUSALEM (JTA) — Hundreds of demonstrators protested a new Jerusalem movie complex that will be closed on Shabbat.
The Cinema City complex, with 15 theaters and some 50 restaurants and shops, opened Tuesday night in central Jerusalem.
The building permit issued in 2010 to the construction company included a stipulation from the Jerusalem municipality and the Finance Ministry that the complex remain closed on Shabbat. The complex was built on government property.
Several private movie theaters in the city remain open during Shabbat, as are other attractions near Cinema City, including the Israel Museum and the Science Museum.
Israel’s Supreme Court is scheduled to respond to a petition next month asking if the movie complex can operate on Shabbat.
