A Decade-Long Public and Halachic Struggle Led by the Lubavitcher Rebbe
In the 1950s and 1960s, as transatlantic travel was commonly done by ship, Israeli-owned vessels operated by companies such as ZIM and its subsidiary Sheoham regularly sailed between Israel, Europe, and the U.S. Many of these voyages included travel on Shabbat, leading to massive public desecration of Shabbat by Jewish crew members.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, waged a prolonged, determined campaign to stop this violation. His efforts unfolded on two levels:
Already in the early years of his leadership, the Rebbe personally instructed individuals not to travel on Israeli ships that sailed on Shabbat, warning that their operation involved unavoidable Biblical-level violations of Shabbat.
He also consulted the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, asking whether halachic leniencies were being relied upon and challenging their permissibility.
Starting in 1956 (5716), the Rebbe elevated his efforts to the public realm. He:
Encouraged rabbis and communal leaders to speak out.
Corresponded with major halachic authorities, including Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank, and Rabbi Herzog.
Refuted technical claims by engineers that ship operation could be automated and thus Shabbat-compliant.
Used his own engineering background (from studies at the Sorbonne and naval lab work in the U.S.) to debunk these claims point by point.
He also personally paid for alternative air travel for individuals who could not afford flights, rather than allow them to sail on Shabbat-violating ships.
Shabbat violations aboard ships included engine maintenance, navigation, and passenger services — all involving forbidden melachot.
The claim that the ships operated “automatically” was proven factually and halachically inaccurate.
The Rebbe proposed docking on Shabbat at intermediate ports as a practical halachic solution.
He opposed the use of non-Jewish workers as a workaround, noting that the ships were owned and primarily staffed by Jews, and the passengers were nearly all Jewish — thus, amira l’akum (asking a non-Jew to work on Shabbat) would not suffice.
Over time, prominent rabbis joined the Rebbe’s position:
Rabbi Meshulam Roth, Rabbi Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss, and Rabbi Simcha Elberg issued public rulings against these voyages.
The Rebbe questioned the silence of many rabbis and urged bold public declarations.
He published letters and pamphlets on the subject, and the Chabad journal Kfar Chabad as well as Agudath HaRabbanim's journal in the U.S. brought the issue to wider attention.
The Israeli government and shipping companies tried to justify the practice with arguments of:
National security
Economic necessity
Jewish employment
The Rebbe strongly rejected these claims, asserting that no national gain could justify public Shabbat desecration, and invoking the principle that Shabbat is the source of Jewish survival.
Eventually, as air travel became more common, the use of ships for transatlantic passenger travel waned, and the Israeli lines discontinued their passenger services.
In recent years, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel formally ruled not to grant kosher certification to cruise lines that operate on Shabbat, aligning with the Rebbe’s original stance.
The Rebbe’s campaign exemplified:
Uncompromising halachic integrity
Strategic use of technical expertise
A deep sense of responsibility to protect Shabbat and prevent public desecration
His leadership in this issue left a lasting impact on how Shabbat observance is approached in public Jewish life, particularly in the context of state-run or national institutions.