Rabbis in Israel ban use of Sabbath lifts

Orthodox rabbis led by Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, the 99-year-old leader of the Lithuanian Orthodox community in Israel, have issued a ban on all forms of lift travel on Shabbat, including so-called Sabbath, or kosher, elevators. The rabbis said they had reached their decision after holding consultations with "certified lift technicians and engineers". However, the ruling was attacked by a rabbinical institute that ensures the compliance of technology with Jewish law. Jewish law forbids the use of electrical items on the day of rest.

The use of Sabbath lifts has always been contentious. Detractors claim that although passengers push no button, their weight still increases the amount of electricity used to power the lift. The ruling could also alarm the government, which adopted legislation in 2001 requiring lifts in many high rise residential buildings to have a Shabbat mode.