Despite the howls of Tiberias' substantial ultra-Orthodox population for desecrating Shabbat, Tiberias Mayor Ron Cobi is was set to launch a pilot program to provide public transportation in the city on Saturdays.
Roey Schwartz, founder of the Noa Tanua-Transportation on Shabbat group, which advocated for public transportation to be made available on Saturdays, explained that on Saturday, the group would be operating buses "as part of a one-time pilot [program] between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
"And as of now, there will only be one bus operating in each direction: From the neighborhoods up [the hills] down to the city, and back," Schwartz said.
If the pilot program proves a success, the city will continue to offer public transportation on Saturdays throughout the summer.
At Cobi's initiative, the city has scheduled events and family activities to be held on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The number of visitors to the area has increased of late, with tens of thousands of people - both locals and visitors - drawn to the boardwalk by folk dancing, snow trucks and activities for children. This coming Saturday, the a vintage car show is set to take place in Tiberias.
