By COLlive reporter
This is one call that can cost you…
Gabboim at a few shuls around Israel have decided to put an end to mobile phones going off in the middle of davening and disrupting congregants.
Despite notifications and signs requesting to set their phone’s profile to “vibrate”, ringtones and jingles keep playing during prayers.
As a response, a few shuls in Tzfas, Ber Sheva, Netanya and Jerusalem instituted a new rule: A monetary fine will be imposed on those whose phones ring during prayers.
The fine at the Viznitz shul in Tzfas is 10 Shekels ($2.8 U.S. dollars), while in other Shuls the rates vary, some up to 18 Shekels ($5).
The proceeds are been used for maintenance of the shuls. “In the first few days, the tzedaka box has been filled with hundreds of shekels,” one congragant reported.
“It took time for people to digest the new rules,” the person told Israeli news site Mako. “But they are slowly getting it, and there are less phones ringing since. Either way, the fine is actually a charitable donation.”
“It is a great sin to disturb the prayers,” commented Rabbi Eliyahu Abergel, Chief Judge of the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court.
“People don’t realize the damage they cause when the phone rings suddenly in middle of kaddish or Shmone Esre. It interrupts the prayer and degrades the sanctity of the synagogue,” he said.
Jewish music superstar Avraham Fried has called in the past to start “a campaign to leave cellphones out of shul,” saying that it shows a lack of faith in Hashem.
“If you are concerned that you might miss a call or email – it shows a lack in emunah. Hashem is the one providing parnasah so what is there to be afraid of?” he told COLlive.com in an interview in 2011.
Yasher koach!
I think your right
Thank you!
I heard that on the popav shul in Borough Park they have a cell phone zapper that nobody reception in the whole shul. Now that’s a great idea!
Are you being SARCASTIC or REAL?!?!?!
Would you in front of a KING for EVEN 1 sec, STOP, look,
answer & talk because your cell vibrated or rang even if permitted?!??! What is wrong with you-the same is with Hashem!!! KING of all KINGS!!!We are talking & davening to Hashem & should be the same-what is this world coming to????? so sad….
im a teacher and i always put my iphone 5s on silent incase it rings how hard is THAT????
My kids tell me that their teachers’ phones vibrate on their desks and it’s very distracting. Some teachers even have them on ring and take the calls saying they are waiting for some important news. It used to be that calls were made to the office and the secretary would let a teacher know there was an important call for her in the office. If the call is that important, don’t go to school that day.
I’m actually gonna put greater effort in not checking my phone during Davening (I already always leave it on vibrate)
may you never be put to the test.
its easy to talk … while you have.
and before starting a funeral, i request that phones be shut or put onto vibrate. Most people at shul would comply with this type of request, but need to be reminded. the gabbai should announce before davening starts to shut off cell phones. this may be problematic in shuls where unfortunately people have their phones with them on shabbos, but there too, the announcement could acknowledge that those who have a phone for pikuach nefesh should put it on vibrate.
Can i charge the person who is calling me?
Kudos to the rabbis who imposed
These rules and fines. Eventually
We may have some decorum in shul!
It’s not but try to stay on point. The article is about fines for cell phones making noise, not people.
great idea, let the idiot box vibrate if one is expecting an important call and go outsidel.,.but is it true, why is it different than murmuring n shul…check this out, one person’s phone rang during a levaya.-he was one of the pallbearers carrying the coffin–unbelievable.. and it further rings at Kever Rochel, the Kotel, at the Ari’s kever, as well etc. but worse than the ring, is the lack of interpersonal conversation and eye contact..that to me is more of a plague. try talking to a teenager or even an adult while they have their Iphone in front of them…simply… Read more »
These days it’s a buissniss to be rabbi or principal that make so muce money from knasem didint read it but don’t think it’s rite
Why is the ring worse than talking in Shul?
You might think you are speaking softly, but I promise you, I HEAR YOU AND IT DISTRACTS ME.
The fine is if the phone itself is heard I.e. The ring. There is no fine for talking.
No fine for vibrate
No one said not to respond to emergencies. But the point is, hardly any of the calls are emergencies. Phone conversations during davening is disrespectful, in my opinion. I think it takes away from the sacredness of it. Do we daven to get it over with, or do we daven with feeling? I don’t like davening with intention and suddenly hearing a phone, a conversation, etc. near me during that time. I feel the prayer and the person are both disrespected then, and that’s not ok. Of course I understand an emergency, don’t be silly! But I do think that… Read more »
how did we teach,go to a shiur or live before cell phones? some how we did. really ,it’s just so unprofessional to be on the phone while teaching and very inconsiderate to whisper/talk into a phone at a shiur. we all have lives but that doesn’t mean it’s OK to be rude!
I dont think its right because some people.have.kids at home and in case of an emergency some teachwrs do have their phone on because if not how will they know if there kids are ok or not it just doesnt make sense
That’s what you need to look at. Economics and incentives. These fine will work.
That is Bridge Lane Beis Hamerash, which is run by the esteemed Rabbi Shimon Weingarden. May all our Rabbonim be like him, Omein!
it happens at shiurim, during davening, and more. It really is time to stop it by bringing a dose of reality to it. However, there might be some vorts which can inspire people as well. The fine is the last stop, bottom line.
You have to buy pizza for everyone for lunch!!!
Where its soposed to be relaxing & pple like the calmness, cellphones should be off or atleast on silent as consideration to others………..
I find the talkers are the ones that become Frum and scream at the ones that the phone rings.
There are other reasons besides parnasah that people answer their phones during davening I.e. Family issues/crisis r’l etc.
Why no knas for talking in Shul? Why is phone ring worse. I’m more distracted with a juicy conversation near me.
I think it’s just plain rude. Even if you do not talk loudly, most likely someone is next to you or near you who is being disregarded because of your involvement with something not connected to what everyone there is involved in (or is supposed to be involved in). I think it’s a very basic point of etiquette or respect. You should step out of the room and not interrupt a flow of purpose or a flow of personal involvement. Be sensitive to others, please. Thank you.
Good. But it’s only a treatment of the symptom(s), not the disease.
true, its a very big distraction in middle of minyan for a phone to ring, and a person often answer it in middle of Davening
same with any event, people these days are so antisocial with their phones theres almost no point in social gatherings
i’ve heard the funniest ringtones go off in the middle of minyan!
superman by soulja boy was one of the best
There is a shul in LONDON that charges £30 ($50US) fine for the shul Gemach.
i wonder how they enforce it?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with talking on a cell phone in Shul!
If you speak quietly and do not bother anyone – why not?
However If you speak loudly, then it’s no difference if you talk to your neighbor in Shul or to your wife on the cell – both you shouldn’t do.
So whats’ this “talking on cell phone issue”?!
If it’s after Baruch Sheomer – then one cant talk PERIOD. (cell phone or neighbor).
can someone explain?!
in chicago’s beis menachem if you phones makes even the slightest noise (text, call, etc.) you must deposit $5 to the coffee fund.
Every women’s event we have, there are phones ringing. And they usually belong to the elder ladies in the community. Also, teachers bring their phones to school. Every time they vibrate when on top of the desk, the children are distracted. That is only slightly better than the teachers who leave their phones on ring and take the calls in class!
Very true i agree! Its not so hard people put it on silent its not so hard and i find it rude that people do not turn off there cell phones or at least the sound off in shul , I always do. So i hope they start to do this in every shul