JERUSALEM (JTA) — Two children riding bicycles were killed in two incidents in Israel on Yom Kippur.
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Israeli children and adults flood the streets of Israel on the holiday, when the roads are empty of cars, buses and trucks.
An 8-year-old boy was hit by a car on a main thoroughfare in Tel Aviv on Wednesday. The driver is suspected of drug dealing and of trying to hide the evidence after he hit the boy. Amir Abu Laben, 20, from Ramle, was seen throwing something into the bushes after the accident. Police searched the bushes and found 1.6 grams of cocaine.
A 10-year-old boy on a bicycle was hit by a motorcycle on Route 443 near the Ben-Shemen Youth Village in central Israel.
Magen David Adom told Israeli media that it treated more than 250 people for injuries related to cycling, rollerblading, scooters, and skateboards. Another nearly 270 people were treated for conditions related to fasting, including being dehydrated, feeling ill or fainting. MDA paramedics also delivered three babies and took care of 140 women in labor.
Yom Kippur, the most holy day of the Jewish calendar, should be spent fasting, and in a Synagogue. Israelis should not encourage their families to ride bicycles on that day, nor should such activities be publicized. Last year, Hadassah Magazine ran an entire page in its stupid magazine, essentially “showing how nice it was to ride bikes in Israel on Yom Kippur, when there were no cars on the road”. I can’t believe that a secular activity, such as bicycle riding on Yom Kippur is encouraged and given a green light by Israelis.
Baruch Dayan Emes
I am sorry to hear people were hurt. I was not aware of this interesting Israeli custom. Were I there, I would certainly walk down the middle of a highway. It must be an odd sensation.