Decrying the Playing of Soccer on the Sabbath

In the early 1920's the Jewish community in Palestine generally refrained from desecrating the Sabbath in public. However, in 1927 this accepted standard was breached when soccer became an overnight entertainment sensation. The soccer fields and stadiums became infamous as areas of public desecration of the Sabbath. The ultra-Orthodox community in Jerusalem refused to accept this phenomenon and in 1929 established a society known as Hevrat Mishmeret Shabbat to combat public desecration of the Sabbath. This broadside is signed by Rabbi Joseph Hayyim Sonnenfeld who was the strident leader of the Ashkenazic ultra-Orthodox community in Jerusalem between the years 1922-1932.

Printing House: Zuckerman

My heart is breaking upon hearing of the obstinacy of the promiscuous youth of our nation who refuse to hear the pleas of the Haredim and repeatedly wallow in their vomit to desecrate the sanctity of the Sabbath by playing soccer brazenly and publicly. . . These people are true sinners of Israel and are cutting themselves off from the community. As long as they continue in their ways and do not repent they will bring upon themselves the judgement of one who is completely evil and the community of Israel should maintain no connection with them whatsoever.

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