Why I Won’t Work on Shabbat No Matter the Offer

For the past four months, 31-year-old Shay Itach has been searching for a job. But there's one thing he's made clear to every employer: he will not work on Shabbat. Not for any amount of money.

Shay doesn't describe himself as religious, but when it comes to Shabbat, he has drawn a line that he won’t cross. “From the start of my career,” he explains, “I knew that Shabbat was non-negotiable. No job was worth giving that up.”

“I’m a person who really loves to work,” Shay adds. “I have a wide range of interests and knowledge. I’m a certified electronics technician and have worked for leading companies. I’m not afraid of effort.”

But despite his strong work ethic, this is the longest he’s been unemployed. Still, he doesn’t regret his decision. That’s because, for Shay, Shabbat is more than just a day off. It’s something that restores his soul.

“And I use that word, ‘soul’ on purpose,” he says. “It means a lot to me, especially in the context of work. By the end of a busy week, I feel drained physically, mentally, emotionally. I need to rest. My soul needs to rest.”

What does that rest look like? For Shay, it’s spending time with friends, hiking in nature, disconnecting from the daily grind. It’s about creating space to breathe, reflect, and recharge before starting another week.

“An employee deserves to rest, just like the employer who takes off on Shabbat,” he points out.

That’s why he’s turned down every job that required him to work on Shabbat. “They wanted me to do the same work seven days a week, in shifts, without thinking that employees also need a break. It’s not just about fairness, it’s about health, well-being, and humanity.”

And it doesn’t stop there. Shay won’t work on Saturday nights either. “It’s like asking someone to work Sunday night right after a Sunday off,” he explains. “A day of rest should be a full, real break. Not something you rush through to get back to work.”

Shay knows people who do work on Shabbat, and it troubles him. Some do it for the extra pay. Others, he says, “just don’t understand how much it’s costing them mentally and physically. Working nonstop is like blowing air into a balloon that eventually pops. It’s only a matter of time before the stress or exhaustion leads to illness.”

So how does he see it for himself? “I’m not willing to live like that. I won’t work on Shabbat no matter what they offer me. The peace I get from Shabbat is worth more than any paycheck.”

His hope is simple: that employers will begin to understand that giving an employee a true day of rest doesn’t take away from productivity, it actually adds to it. “A rested person works better during the week,” he says. “And maybe, if someone keeps Shabbat even for the wrong reasons, with Hashem’s help, one day they’ll come to keep it for the right ones.”