April 16, 2024

Whereas, the “Sunshine Protection Act” advocating for permanent Daylight Saving Time (DST) passed with unanimous voice consent in the US Senate, on March 15, 2022, and was followed by reports that Senators were not aware unanimous voice consent had been requested, leading to the bill’s expiration at the end of the 117th Congress and reintroduction to committee;

Whereas, the United States previously approved permanent DST three times, with War Time in 1918 and 1942 and through the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act, a two-year permanent DST experiment in 1973, which was terminated after one year due to declining public support and inconclusive evidence of energy savings;

Whereas, it is well known that the biannual changing of the clocks is linked to numerous health and safety concerns, including heart attacks, strokes and high blood pressure, car accidents, traffic fatalities, workplace injuries, and exacerbation of mental health issues;

Whereas, Permanent Standard Time is more in line with with natural human circadian rhythms promoting overall better health, and the darkness on winter mornings resulting from DST exposes children to greater risk of traffic accidents while travelling to school;

Whereas, energy savings from reduced light usage at the end of the day due to DST are offset by increased light usage in the early mornings and heightened climate control use, and extended daylight increases travel and gasoline consumption;

Whereas, the implementation of permanent DST in the United States will automatically trigger permanent DST in Canada, and likely changes in other countries;

Whereas, the shift to permanent DST would cause winter sunrise in northern cities across the US, Canada, and Europe to occur during peak commuting or work hours, significantly impacting religious observances in the Jewish community, in particular, forcing people to choose between morning minyan and arrival at work on time, thus depressing attendance at minyan, and impacting synagogue and home holiday observances.

Whereas, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has cautioned against making DST permanent, citing potential health risks and its misalignment with human circadian physiology, as well as the negative effects on sleep, heart health, stress management, and other issues, with various professional societies[1] worldwide advocating for the abolishment of DST;

Therefore, be it resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly will actively support a permanent adoption of Standard Time in the United States and other countries.

[1] The American Society of Sleep Medicine, the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, and the European Society for Sleep Research

 

Comments

Submitted by yonatan.warren on Mon, 03/04/2024 - 13:10

I think we need to highlight that which we are subject matter experts about. DST is bad for Purim, horrible for pesach, and a killer for chinuch re: Havdalah and Omer. It destroys morning minyan. And it’s a tircha to shiva minyanim. We live in an era of affordable eco friendly lighting options at night. It’s time to make summer sunsets accessible to children again.

Submitted by ravnadav on Mon, 03/04/2024 - 13:14

Totally support

Submitted by ltuchman1@gmail.com on Mon, 03/04/2024 - 13:34

I strongly support the adoption of this resolution. In addition to the reasons cited in support of permanent standard time, elderly Jews and others for whom night driving and generally being awake at all hours is non-conducive will find it easier to participate in seder, the evening Megillah and eichah readings and evening minyan in general.

Submitted by bleff on Mon, 03/04/2024 - 15:26

I agree that permanent daylight savings time is a bad idea, but many many people enjoy the extra hour of daylight in the summer months. As someone who often spends the summer months in southern New Mexico, where exercising outdoors means getting outside very early in the day, it would be very inconvenient to be on standard time. Sunrise in late June would be at 5am, meaning it would start getting light at 4:30am. There are arguments to be made on multiple sides on this issue. This does not seem to me to be something we really need, or should, take a stand on.

Submitted by tubaboy on Tue, 03/05/2024 - 18:45

Yeah!!!! I'm retired so I no longer have deal with most of the ways that DST plagues Jewish life, especially in places at the western edges of time zones. I spent 8 years a bit west of Cleveland. In late June, Shabbat was over around midnight (OK, rabbinic hyperbole) and it was hard to get a congregation to start a second night seder after many little kids would normally be in bed. DST is an antiquated vestigial nuisance. Kol Hakavod for including this resolution.---Doug Weber, Centennial Colorado.

Submitted by RabbiGoldberg on Tue, 03/05/2024 - 19:11

I do not think that this is an issue that the RA should weigh in on, nor is it clear to me how we would determine if this, of all the possible positions to support, is most aligned with our values or the views of our members.

Submitted by jlm548 on Wed, 03/06/2024 - 08:52

As others have said, the reason DST is not in the interest of our community is the late hour of sunset (and early hour of sunrise), especially on the western edges of time zones. We should say so.