Orthodox Jews Have Objections to Plan for Permanent Daylight Savings Time in Congress

Warning that permanent daylight saving time could force the devout to have to choose between morning prayer and being on time for work, a lobbying group representing the Orthodox Jewish community is asking senators to block the clock hop stop bill.The Sunshine Protection Act passed the House of Representatives last week by a vote of 308-117 but faces an uncertain future in the Senate. The bill would eliminate the twice yearly, one-hour “spring ahead” and “fall back” clock changes in favor of keeping an unchanged timing system year-round.Orthodox Jews pray three times a day, the first being a morning prayer that’s dependent on the sun having risen. Those services typically last 35 to 45 minutes. Shlomo Schorr, an Orthodox Jew who serves as legislative director for Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office, says the later the sun rises, the later in the morning the first service will conclude.“That’s going to be a severe impediment to those who need to get to the workplace: you need to commute, especially if you have a longer commute,” Mr. Schorr said. “It’s going to be a big, big issue.”Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton has vowed to block the bill but other senators have yet to stake out positions. Advocates for the Sunshine Protection Act say it would improve health and sleep wellness, increase productivity and cut down on the car crashes and mishaps that come from groggy people having their internal clocks disrupted biannually.Mr. Schorr and other advocates will be in Washington Tuesday to meet with senators, asking them to consider the unintended consequences of the change.“What we’re trying to do is engage with lawmakers who are undecided,” Mr. Schorr said. “And there are many more undecided mostly within middle America, where the farmers work, and they’re affected because they work early mornings as well as everywhere there are school children.”Children who attended Jewish schools have similar bell times to children in public schools, he said. However, their teachers may go to services before the school day begins and their ability to attend prayers would be impacted by delayed sunrise.The fight against permanent daylight saving has united some unlikely allies.Orthodox Jewish groups are joined by the airline and farming industries – and potentially by Muslim groups.The Council on American Islamic Relations is not taking a public position on the bill but is pointing out the consequences for the Muslim community.“Permanent daylight savings time will present a problem to some practicing Muslims, particularly those in more northern latitudes who will experience very late sunrise times,” said Naureen Akhter, the Public Affairs Director for CAIR’s New Jersey chapter. “For example, if the sun doesn’t rise until 8 or 9 AM, the fajr (dawn) prayer will fall squarely during commute or school drop off times.”“On the other hand, it will mean later sunset,” she added. “As Ramadan advances deeper into the winter months, the later iftar (breaking of the fast) time will make it easier to congregate with family or community after work/school.”To Mr. Schorr’s surprise, teachers’ unions have been relatively muted in expressing opposition to the bill.At his latitude in New Jersey, Mr. Schorr said, the sun will rise after 8 a.m. for 67 days a year. But those who live at more northwest latitudes – in Detroit, South Bend, the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere – will face even more days of pre-8 a.m. darkness annually.“This issue is not a partisan issue,” Mr. Schorr said. “It’s mostly … being pushed by the coastal and southern states which stand to benefit the most from this because it’s the golf and in the entertainment industries.”Mr. Schorr plans to begin with New Jersey’s two US senators – Democrats Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim – but will also focus on members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The committee’s chairman is Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and ranking Democrat is Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington state.“It seems like it will come down to how strong does President Trump get behind this,” Schorr said. Trump has expressed support for the House version of the bill.There are about 7.5 million Jews living in the United States concentrated in a handful of states. About 10% of those are Orthodox. If the Sunshine Protection Act becomes law, those states could opt out.

Orthodox Jews Have Objections to Plan for Permanent Daylight Savings Time in Congress

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