Yes, seriously. It used to be that Orthodox would have what they described as a "Shabbes goy" to do a variety of things. As Naomi said, timers handle much of that now.

Didn't you ever read "The Chosen"? I'm sure this practice is in there.


I read that all the way back in high school - but because I knew zero about Orthodox and Hasidic Jews at the time, much of it didn't register.

A google search on "Shabbes goy" landed me on a story of Colin Powell earning a quarter on Friday nights turning on and off the synagogue lights for Orthodox Jews. Colin must have had a lousy agent - I would have held out for buck, or I would have told the Orthodox Jews to invest in "The Clapper" to turn off the lights. <s>