In the religious home I grew up in, Sunday was viewed as a day of rest (and going to church). Play was allowed, but no work. Except homework, strangely enough. That was not only permitted, but encouraged, much to my chagrin.
These days, I don’t worry about not working on Sundays. Nor do most Christians I know. Which is why I am fascinated by Jewish friends who ardently observe the sabbath, or Shabbat, as it is known in Hebrew.
This includes my friend Jason Shron of Toronto.
SUPPLIED Jason Shron, 47, started model railroad manufacturer Rapido Trains with his wife, Sidura, two decades ago. While happy to be following his passion, running a successful business poses some challenges for an observant Orthodox Jew like Shron.
Shron, 47, is an Orthodox Jew and successful businessperson who lives in Toronto but has close ties to Winnipeg (he married a Winnipeg girl).
In 2004, he was living in Great Britain and pursuing a PhD in art history when he realized he didn’t want to be an art historian after all. What he really wanted to do was “make model trains all day.”
“I had no degree, no job and no money,” he said of starting Rapido Trains with his wife, Sidura, an award-winning author who was born and raised in Winnipeg. “I had nothing to lose.”
From that two-person start-up 19 years ago, today Rapido Trains has 30 employees in three countries. It has become Canada’s largest model railroad manufacturer, specializing in highly detailed models for hobbyists and collectors.
While glad to be following his passion, running a successful business poses some challenges for an observant Jew like Shron.
“The business is important, but what’s more important is keeping Shabbat and kosher,” said Shron, who didn’t grow up observant but has been that way since 1989. “Those are the main things to me.”
For observant Jews, keeping Shabbat, which begins at sundown on Friday and lasts for 24 hours, is one of the most important weekly acts. No work is permitted that day. Instead, it is viewed as a time of spiritual and personal refreshment. People are encouraged to pray, read the Torah and spend time with family.
For Shron, this is a problem; pretty much all train shows — the places he can meet his customers in person — are held on weekends. That was especially true for him in the early days of the business.
“That was hard when I was starting out and I was the only employee,” he said of navigating the demands of his new enterprise and the obligations of his faith. “It caused me a lot of anxiety. It’s a problem faced by other Orthodox Jews who are in business,” he said.
Shron mostly managed to keep Shabbat back then, although there were a couple of uncomfortable exceptions. Today it’s not a problem since his non-Jewish employees can attend the shows on the company’s behalf.
“Now I’m never tempted to break Shabbat for business,” he said, adding he does no work that day. “That’s my commitment, to observe and keep it.”
Business lunches can still be problematic, though. “Ideally, I’d like to eat kosher, but it’s about finding a balance,” he said of how he will choose a vegetarian dish at a restaurant if that is an option.
For Shron, incorporating other aspects of his faith into work are also important. This includes wearing a kippah (a brimless cap) and tzitzit (the strings attached to the corners of the tallit, or prayer shawl). These are things that immediately mark him as Jewish.
Since those things make him stand out as Jewish, it also reminds him everything he does reflects on the Jewish community.
“I am always careful to be honest, respectful, sensitive, not rude or crass,” he said. “I am aware my actions will reflect on Jewish people.”
And, yes, he’s aware that standing out that way as a Jew could also make him a target for antisemitism. But, so far, he hasn’t experienced it in the model railroad community. In fact, it’s usually the opposite.
“When people see me wearing my kippah at model train events, many are interested in talking about my religion,” he said. “I have the most interesting conversations about faith.”
Shron tries to bring other aspects of his faith into the business world, too. “The most important thing for me is Middot,” he said, referencing the Jewish concept of good character.
This means being honest in everything the company does, including if it makes a mistake.
“If we screw up, we will say so. I think people respect that,” he said, adding he always wants to treat others with kindness. “Everyone is fighting a battle of some kind,” he observed.
But in the end, it all boils down to Shabbat for Shron.
“Thank God for that time,” he said. “I couldn’t keep going without it. I couldn’t imagine my life today without it. It keeps me grounded and sane. I’d give up my business in a heartbeat if it came down to choosing Shabbat or Rapido. There’s no competition.”
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John Longhurst
Faith reporter
John Longhurst has been writing for Winnipeg’s faith pages since 2003. He also writes for Religion News Service in the U.S., and blogs about the media, marketing and communications at Making the News.
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