In the Orthodox Jewish community of Borough Park, Brooklyn, preparations for the Sabbath are closely tied to the timing of sunset, underscoring a broader national debate over proposed changes to daylight saving time. As the House of Representatives recently approved the Sunshine Protection Act, which would establish permanent daylight saving time, Orthodox Jewish leaders have intensified efforts to oppose the measure, highlighting concerns over its impact on religious observance and daily routines.
The Sunshine Protection Act aims to eliminate the biannual clock changes, keeping clocks an hour ahead year-round. Supporters argue this would extend evening daylight, but Orthodox Jewish organizations contend that such a shift would disrupt prayer schedules, which are synchronized with sunrise and sunset. Since morning and evening prayers fall precisely at these times, delaying sunrise and sunset by one hour in winter months would force practitioners to adjust their rituals later into the day.
Leaders from groups including Agudath Israel of America and the Orthodox Union have been lobbying senators in Washington, emphasizing the difficulties permanent daylight saving time would impose on followers balancing religious obligations with secular work and school schedules. Rabbi A.D. Motzen, national director of government affairs for Agudath Israel, underscored concerns voiced by parents about children leaving for school in darker, colder conditions. This argument recalls opposition in the 1970s when Congress abandoned an earlier attempt at permanent daylight saving time due to safety fears for children commuting in the dark.
Opposition to the bill extends beyond Orthodox communities, with various religious leaders, agricultural groups, sleep experts, and industry representatives joining the coalition against the change. Some lawmakers, including several senators, have expressed reservations or opposition, complicating the legislation’s prospects in the Senate. Former President Donald Trump has publicly supported the measure, encouraging Republican lawmakers to back it.
New York, which hosts the largest Orthodox Jewish population in the country, stands to experience significant lifestyle disruptions should the bill become law. David Greenfield, former New York City councilman and leader of the Met Council, highlighted an unusual alliance between Orthodox Jews and other groups, such as farmers, united by shared concerns about permanent daylight saving time.
While some Borough Park residents were unaware of the bill’s progress, others recognized potential challenges with the proposed change but suggested adaptation might be possible. Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in Manhattan noted that commuters who pray before traveling could face difficulties adjusting, but experience from communities farther north indicates ways to accommodate the shift.
Permanent daylight saving time is currently observed year-round in Hawaii, most of Arizona, and several U.S. territories, but for other states, federal legislation is necessary to enact the change. More than a dozen states have passed laws to observe daylight saving time permanently if authorized federally, reflecting growing momentum for reform despite ongoing opposition.
As the Senate considers the bill, Orthodox Jewish organizations and their allies continue to advocate against permanent daylight saving time, emphasizing that accurate alignment of clocks with natural daylight is crucial for religious practice, safety, and public well-being.