Owners and managers of businesses located in Rishon Lezion’s Kinyon Hazahav (“Golden Mall”) say the mall’s management is urging them to keep their stores open on Shabbos.

Following the opening of a new wing in the mall, the management has decided to keep the entire shopping center open seven days a week and is trying to get all stores to adapt to the new situation.

The mall’s CEO, Danny Turkenitz, sent a letter to all business owners, explaining the importance of the move and asking them to “reply to this email with a confirmation that you will be opening your store starting Saturday, December 10, 2011.”

The letter concluded by requiring each business owner to confirm that he plans to open his store on Shabbat, and if not – to explain why.

Yaakov Halperin, CEO of the Halperin Optics chain, which operates a store in Kanyon Hazahav, slammed the initiative in a conversation with Ynet.

“It’s unthinkable that the mall manager is virtually forcing me to open my store on Shabbat, while implying in his letter that I could be responsible for the mall’s failure. He’s giving me the feeling that I have to do it, although it’s not an emergency, just ‘customers’ thirst’ to shop on Shabbat of all days, as he puts it.”

Halperin mentioned his late father – the chain’s founder, Rabbi Rafael Halperin – noting that he was one of the biggest fighters for the sanctity of Shabbos. The son stressed, however, that the fight was not just a religious one, but also an economic and social battle.

According to Halperin, when he first opened the store Kanyon Hazahav did not operate on Shabbos, and the new situation gives his competitors an advantage. Now he plans to demand a relative reduction in rent and management fees.

Kinyon Hazahav issued the following statement in response: “The entire commercial are near Kanyon Hazahav is open on Shabbos – entertainment centers, restaurants, shops – and we received an appeal from business owners to allow them to open their stores on Shabbos too in order to compete with other businesses in the area.”

READ MORE: YNET