More work on day of rest for Orthodox Jews as elevators banned

JERUSALEM: The Jewish day of rest - Saturday - has become a bit more labor-intensive for Yosef Ball.

The Orthodox Jew and his wife are no longer using elevators custom-built for the Jewish Sabbath, ever since a rabbinical ruling last month outlawed them. Instead, they have been hiking up seven flights of stairs to get home each Saturday, lugging with them their five young children and a double stroller.

"It's been very hard, but we're walking up the stairs slowly and with a lot of patience," said Ball, 29, pushing a baby carriage with two toddlers in tow on a recent day.