ABSTRACT
Israel has no written, complete constitution. It has, however, a constitutional system based on a series of basic laws and jurisprudence that permitted the country to overcome its difficulties during the more than six stormy decades that followed its establishment. The already mentioned Article 83 of the Palestine Order in Council, 1922, is the starting point of Israeli legislation concerning state and religion. For a general overview of the legal setting concerning state and religion in Israel, it is necessary to refer to the recognized communities system, developed under the two regimes that preceded the creation of the State, namely, the Ottoman Empire and the British Mandate over Palestine. The Sabbath and Jewish festivals are days of rest according to the Law and Administration Ordinance of 1948 and the Hours of Work and Rest Law of 1951. The Sabbath issue has come several times before the courts. This is, of course, a matter affecting mainly the Jewish majority.
