Shabbat Elevator Installation
In many buildings in Israel the elevator does not support "Shabbat mode". That can make it hard for residents who keep Shabbat to get to their apartments. Shabbat control for elevators was invented to solve exactly this need.
It's the same elevator, running in a special operating mode in which it travels on its own throughout Shabbat and stops at floors with no need to press a button or operate any mechanism.
Good news: we can add Shabbat control to your elevator too.
Book an inspection visit
Not sure whether Shabbat control is relevant for your building?
Are there religious or traditional residents in the building who keep Shabbat?
Is the building several floors high, with stairs that are hard on Shabbat for some residents?
Is there more than one elevator in the building, or a single elevator the committee is willing to convert into a Shabbat elevator?
Did a resident ask for a Shabbat elevator, and you're not sure what's allowed, what's possible and what the law requires?
Unfortunately, not every elevator is suitable.
This is probably the most important point on this page, so we'll say it plainly: not every elevator can be turned into a Shabbat elevator.
In principle, Shabbat control can be added to most elevators, but whether the control is "kosher" depends on the technical details of the elevator: its type, the type of doors and the sensors installed in it. In some elevators the adaptation is simple. In others, for example certain older types or new elevators with electronic weighing systems, it is more complex and sometimes simply not possible.
In most cases this isn't something we can tell you remotely. We need to come, see the elevator and check it. If the answer is that we can't install Shabbat control in your elevator, we will tell you so clearly and openly.
And how does a Shabbat elevator actually work?
It is switched on automatically by a Shabbat clock, or manually with a key or a switch on the control panel, for example before a holiday. Someone on behalf of the building committee sets the system in advance, and on Shabbat itself there is usually no need to touch anything.
The elevator travels on its own on a fixed schedule and stops at preset floors. It doesn't have to stop at every floor; it can also be set to stop at every second floor, according to the building's needs.
The buttons in the car and on every floor are disabled, so even if someone presses one by mistake nothing happens, and passengers don't operate any mechanism in the elevator themselves.
The safety and alarm buttons always stay active, on Shabbat too, and are connected to the service center, so Shabbat mode doesn't lower the level of safety.
We work with the halachic institutes, according to your requirements.
The halachic aspect is really the heart of the matter. We're an elevator company after all, and we're excellent at what we do, but once we finish our part of the work, the halachic institute takes over to inspect the elevator and certify it as kosher.
We work with the leading halachic institutes in the field, including the Zomet Institute and the Institute for Science and Halacha, according to what the residents and the community require. When we meet, we'll talk about your requirements and needs, and adapt the installation accordingly.
The rights and duties of the residents and the committee:
To add Shabbat control to an elevator in an existing building that doesn't have it, a simple majority of the apartment owners is needed, more than half, not a special majority.
In a building with more than one elevator where Shabbat control is already installed, a request from a single apartment owner is enough to run it as a Shabbat elevator.
In a building with only one elevator, running it as a Shabbat elevator affects all the residents, so majority consent is also needed to operate it that way.
The installation cost falls only on the apartment owners who asked for it and is split between them according to apartment size. The additional costs of operating and maintaining the elevator in Shabbat mode are paid by the owners who asked for it to run as a Shabbat elevator, also according to apartment size.
The residents set the operating hours, and unless they decide otherwise, the law sets default operating hours for Shabbat and holidays.
Periodic inspections keep the kosher certification
Installing the Shabbat control and receiving the kosher certification are the first and most important step in converting the elevator into a Shabbat elevator. In the years that follow, the elevator must keep undergoing periodic kashrut inspections by the halachic authority you chose, just like any other periodic inspection the building is responsible for.
We stay by your side all the way. Replacing components, software updates, periodic checks and dedicated care from a technician who knows your elevator closely make sure not only that the certification is kept, which we commit to, but also that your elevator keeps running properly, cleanly and safely for years.
Besides installing Shabbat control for you, we think you'll also want to hear about our service and maintenance contract . Honestly, it's worth it, we're really nice people. 😉
What's the order of work?
We come and inspect
We go over the elevator, the doors, the control panel and the sensors, and decide whether and how Shabbat control can be installed.
Matching the method
We find out with you which halachic authority you work with, and adapt the solution accordingly.
Installation and calibration
We install the control, set stop times and lighting, and adjust it to the building's needs.
Certification and training
We accompany you with the institute's inspector until approval, and explain to the committee and the residents how it works.
What building committees ask us
How can we tell whether Shabbat control can be installed in our elevator?
Do you also help with the approval from the halachic institute?
Our building has only one elevator. Can a Shabbat elevator be installed at all?
What happens with the kosher certification after installation?
So, shall we book a visit?
We'll come, check the elevator and tell you honestly whether Shabbat control can be installed and what's needed. Free of charge, with no obligation.