NAOMI ZEVELOFF: The traditional Israeli weekend reflects the rhythm of observant Jewish life. For many Israeli Jews — even those who aren’t religious — Friday afternoons are spent busily preparing for a lavish Friday night Sabbath meal; the weekly holiday starts at sundown and continues through Saturday evening. The vast majority of Israeli businesses, save for a grocery store here or a restaurant there, are closed on the Sabbath.
Fast-forward to today’s capitalist Israel, where companies that do business abroad find themselves crippled by the Israeli workweek. Not only do they lose precious work hours Friday, but they also have an unproductive day Sunday, when they are at work. “For me, for business purposes, working on Sunday is almost completely pointless,” Snyder said.
