Who is Behind the 'Shabbat Stickers' on Israel's Roads? A Surprising Interview

Anyone who frequently travels on the roads of Israel has surely noticed an increasing number of vehicles with large stickers on their rear windows bearing the inscription: "The children of Israel shall keep the Shabbat; the Shabbat is the heart of the Jewish people." It's not just private cars that carry this inscription, but also trucks and commercial vehicles, making it quite the phenomenon.

The person behind this initiative, as it turns out, is a single individual named Rabbi Uri Menashe. He is a full-time Torah scholar in the Neve Yehoshua neighborhood of Ramat Gan, serves as a synagogue rabbi, and in his spare time is deeply involved in outreach activities. The stickers are just a part of his blessed work.

Strengthening the Shabbat

Rabbi Menashe grew up in a non-observant family. "As a child, I didn't know what Shabbat observance was, nor did we keep the holidays or any other commandments," he notes. "At that time, the only thing that interested me was soccer, but as the years passed, I began attending Torah classes at the neighborhood community center. Lesson by lesson, I felt my heart drawing closer to religion. Next, I studied in a yeshiva for five years, after which I married and was blessed to build a kosher home and bring seven children into the world.

"I've always had the desire to enhance the glory of Hashem in the world and to help distant people come closer," he notes. "For years, I've been involved in activities for this purpose, including work with youth, organizing lectures and conferences, and opening a Torah learning program with 18 scholars. I especially invest my time on Shabbat, organizing third Shabbat meals for dozens of local boys and hosting some in my home for the other Shabbat meals. I feel it's both a privilege and a duty to bring the people of Israel closer."

The desire to strengthen Shabbat observance across the country emerged just over ten years ago. "At that time, Shabbat desecration in the country increased significantly, and the topic of public transportation on Shabbat was repeatedly raised for discussion. Personally, it pained me greatly. Knowing many who did not observe Shabbat, I understood it often wasn’t out of a desire to provoke or rebel, but simply due to a lack of knowledge. People are unaware of Shabbat's sanctity; no one ever shared its uniqueness or the great privilege for those who merit observing it. I felt that instead of arguing and shouting, it was better to think of a positive way to empower us all to keep Shabbat."

Thus, the idea of the stickers began to develop. "I started with a small number of stickers," he recalls, "I took them with me everywhere and handed them out to anyone interested. I also went on radio shows to discuss the initiative, attracting more and more people to hear about it. Around that time, I also established 'Meirim Et HaShabbat,' an organization promoting Shabbat observance through various means, and the activity expanded."

He got the idea to adapt the sticker for trucks after a long period of attaching them only to private vehicles. "Someone told me about truck drivers who truly sanctify Hashem's name by refraining from any work on Shabbat, recommending I create specific stickers for them. That's what we did, and had a professional, through a special printing house, produce giant stickers fitting for the large trucks. They continue to travel across the country, their wording visible from afar."

Rabbi Menashe emphasizes that he sees two very important goals in this: "First, people internalize the message of the words—'The Shabbat is the heart of the Jewish people,' and secondly, it's also a silent protest about how the honor of Shabbat is sometimes trampled. I'm not someone who tries to prove or protest against others, Heaven forbid, but this is a quiet protest expressing the pain of Shabbat and encouraging its observance."

Sweeping Closer

According to Rabbi Menashe, since the outbreak of war about two months ago, he has felt an immense awakening among the people of Israel. "The number of requests I receive for stickers has increased tremendously," he notes. "People who reach out to me are not satisfied with just requesting a sticker, but often express a desire to learn more, to hear how to observe Shabbat and what is required of them. Some come to my home, and I'm astonished to see people who seem very far from observing commandments. Some tell me they've never kept Shabbat, but now they want to start and feel that putting the sticker on their car will motivate them, energizing them to do so.

"Sometimes I'm in awe of the stories I hear—people deciding to do so to protect our soldiers in the army, those who committed to Shabbat observance after surviving a massacre, and others who simply feel a strong awakening due to the current situation. I'm here for everyone, and when I travel the roads of the country and encounter vehicles with our sticker, I realize how much this initiative is gaining momentum. It's the greatest feeling of satisfaction one can have."

To receive stickers and signs, call 052-2891779