wfn.org | Jordan Announces new Friday/Saturday Weekend

["Christian B. Schäffler" <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

January 5, 2000
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
http://www.stanet.ch/APD
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

Jordanian Government Announces Friday/Saturday Weekend

Amman, Jordan.     The Jordanian Government has 
annonounced a new law implementing the Friday/Saturday 
Weekend instead of Thursdays and Fridays. This change was 
specially welcomed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 
Jordan, a minority protestant Church in the Middle East.

One of the major difficulties facing Adventist students in 
many Middle Eastern countries is the problem of the official 
week being from Saturday to Thursday.  Friday is often the 
only day off since it is the Islamic holy day.

Eva Benjamin, an Iraqi lady now living in Cyprus says, "Our 
Adventist young people are often faced with examinations, 
especially finals, being scheduled on Saturdays.  This results 
in them having to 'fail' the exam by being absent and 
therefore being forced to repeat a year in school.  I personally 
know a number of my Adventist friends who have faced such 
difficulties and have become great witnesses to their teachers
and peers by their demonstration of allegiance to the 4th 
Commandment."

"So it is with some relief and gratefulness that the news from 
Jordan was received," reports Alex Elmadjian, communication 
director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Middle 
East.  "Effective January 2000, Fridays and Saturdays will be 
the official weekend instead of Thursdays and Fridays.  Some 
government offices have already started to implement this 
new law." (14/2000)