The New Jersey state Senate Transportation Committee approved a bill today which would make daylight saving time permanent, keeping the state on Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) year-round and eliminating the need to change clocks twice a year.
Currently, New Jersey observes Eastern Standard Time (EST) for four months, from November to March, and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) for the remaining eight months.
The proposal notes that most residents have become more accustomed to the longer daylight saving period and that numerous studies have found the twice-yearly time change to be disruptive to health, safety, and commerce.
Under federal law, however, states are not permitted to remain on daylight saving time throughout the year.
The bill would therefore only take effect if Congress amends the federal “Uniform Time Act of 1966” to authorize states to adopt permanent daylight saving time.
Once such authorization is granted, New Jersey would move to EDT year-round beginning on the first Sunday in November following that change.
At today’s hearing, Shlomo Schorr, Legislative Director for Agudath Israel’s New Jersey office, raised concerns about the proposal, noting that such changes would create significant burdens for the Orthodox Jewish communities due to time-based religious requirements.
Schorr noted that with Jewish morning prayers and rituals tied to natural dawn and sunrise times, under year-round daylight saving time, winter morning services could not begin until 8:00 or 8:30 a.m., taking 40 minutes to an hour to complete.
This would force observant Jews to choose between fulfilling their religious obligations and arriving at work on time, creating hardships for community members seeking to maintain both their faith practices and employment.
While the bill has been introduced several times in the past, it has not made much progress.
However, Senate President Nick Scutari recently added his name as a co-sponsor to the bill, which may signal some traction in the current Legislative lame duck session now underway.
FINALLY!!!! I absolutely hate hate hate having to change the clock twice a year!! It’s so ridiculous! We’re in the 21st century! Either always daylight savings or never. And if this is such a big concern, then we can also just compromise and make it permanently halfway, at half an hour, so if Israel is 7 hours ahead, then it would be 6 and a half ahead. C’mon, whatever we choose, just stick with it! No more of this going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth!
no! if anything keep standard time! who needs it to be light until 9pm in the summer? and who wants to wake up in the dark?
Agreed that if 1 clock year round, it should be standard time. Year round DST was tried years ago, and was a disaster, with many dark morning vehicle crashes, so it was discontinued. In Lakewood winter sunrise would be as late as 830 am. In Cleveland it would be 9am! Most people need to wake up to daylight for alertness and productivity.
How about we make all the clocks speed up and slow down evey day so that they keep Shaos Zmaniyos (12 equal hours from sunup to sundown, and 12 equal hours from sundown to sunup).
Would make keeping track of Sof Zman Krias Shma so much easier!
Yes, let’s have Netz at 8:30 am. Just what is best for Klal yisroel.
Finally I hate the short winter days. Will manage with shachris can learn b4
NJ Bachurim Committee Approves Bill To Make Bein Hazmanim Permanent
At Today’s Hearing, Reb Berel Listman, Executive Director of a Popular NJ Yeshiva, Raised Concerns about the Proposal, Noting that Such a Change Would Create Significant Problems for the Rosh Yeshivas and Rabbeim.
The ‘Bachurim’s Committee of NJ’ approved a bill on Monday that would make Bein Hazmanim permanent and keep NJ bachurim in vacation mode year round, eliminating the need for the bachurim to restart their internal clocks three times a year and to readapt to their yeshivas’ time schedules.
The bill, however, would only take effect if Rosh Yeshivas all across the country sign off on it.
The proposed bill notes that “many bachurim have become accustomed to their bein hazmanim schedules, hence they find the thrice-yearly change to standard yeshiva time schedules to be disruptive to their peace of mind and to their mental relaxation.”
However, during a hearing today – conducted in a local yeshiva dorm room where the proposal was introduced – Reb Berel Listman, executive director of a popular NJ yeshiva, said that the proposed bill was “a non-starter.”
“I spoke to one parent,” Rabbi Listman said, “and she told me that she would sue her son’s yeshiva if her son “ends up staying home throughout the year learning with his chavrusa inside her living room, at the top of his lungs, 24/7.”
“My son is not staying home, period!” she reportedly said, “and if he DOES end up staying home, then I promise you I will see the Roshei Ha’yeshiva in court!”
The bachurim’s bill has been introduced several times in the past, however, it has not made significant progress until now.
“We’re offering bachurim free coupons to various judaica stores and restaurants all across the state, and to dozens of 24/7 cholent outlets if they sign a petition supporting the bill,” said Josh Fernstein, a local bein hazmanim activist. “Hence, the petition currently has thousands of signatures, which is why the bill is making so much progress this time around.”
“What’s more,” Mr. Fernstein added, “bein hazmanim has becoming very popular over the years. It’s about time the popular thrice-yearly vacation receives the permanent status it deserves.”
If they keep DST all year, I am moving back to Bedrock!
I would love daylight saving time!! Tell Mr. Schorr to speak for himself!! Imagine davening vasikin half the year and waking up the same time i am now?! ah amazing! Its not so bad waking up while its dark, its much worse when it gets dark at 4:00 in the afternoon!
Don’t only think about yourself think about those who have to be at work at 9am. In 1971 when there was such a movement on a federal level Hagoan R Moshe Feinstein ZTL wrote a letter to Rabbi Moshe Sherer telling him to advocate against it. R’ Moshe called it “a gezeirah mamash al hatefillah l’yirei Hashem Yosborach”
Jews aren’t the only faith whose prayer times would be impacted by this ruling. But for those faiths that do have exacting prayer times perhaps one can look back and see how this all worked prior to western time keeping. Most are tied to celestial events, sundown, sunrise etc.
Rabanim have been against this for decades. Why any Jews would ever support something the rabanim have said isn’t a good idea.
Yay for NJ. What happens if NY doesn’t decide to change? Then we are our own time zone?
Nothing good about going against the Psak of Leading Poskim.
Maybe lkwd Township can Sign into Law to deliver the way it is
No State should do this alone. A Time Change should only be done Nationally.
I had a brother in law whom was nifter a few years ago whom was barely living while he was ticking! He was lazy!
so my wife used to send me to help out her sister and 10 kids before Shabbos to take care of their garbage, to fix things and I took care of their 10 clocks which I enjoyed rebuilding or making. So on a November Friday I made a Joke on him, I changed half of his clocks to EST and I left half on DST so on Motzoi Shabbos he called me up that Mutty why did I do that for, he’s going crazy, he was an hour late to shul etc , so went back I changed the rest of his clocks.
many will go nuts if just NJ has a different time zone.
Thanks for your story! share it with your kids!
It really stinks that we have to change our clocks twice a year who wants to see the days get dark so early? Not me
“Best of Luck ,to the People”☀️
why not join ditchdst dot com they want permanent standard time
It’s easy work. This way they get everyone talking and they don’t have to do anything hard.
Thank God!