This past week’s Erev Shabbos in Miami Beach was tense because, only hours before Shabbos, a part of the eruv that crosses a busy road broke.
Mendel Sossonko, a volunteer with Hatzalah South Florida, told VIN News that around 3:30 PM on June 23, another volunteer called him to ask what goods would be permitted to carry on Shabbos now that the Miami Beach eruv had been removed.
Rabbi Shalom Blank, one of Miami Beach’s two eruv inspectors, responded to Sossonko’s request for assistance and certified that the eruv had broken across the Julia Tuttle Causeway, which is a component of both State Route 112 and Interstate 95.
With the eruv encompassing a nine-mile radius from South Beach to Bal Harbour, its absence over Shabbat created significant difficulties for everyone—not just locals.
Numerous visitors came to Miami Beach over the weekend; some came to join one of the many celebrations, while others intended to attend the memorial ceremony on June 24th, which would mark the second anniversary of the sad Surfside building collapse.
There were several attempts to organize the speedy mid-roadway repair, but as 5 PM approached and nothing had changed, messages were sent out informing folks in Miami Beach that the eruv wouldn’t be functional during Shabbos.
A little after six o’clock in the evening, Sossonko spoke with Florida Highway Patrol chaplain Mark Rosenberg, who contacted Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Troop E Miami and explained the seriousness of the issue, which would impact thousands of people over the weekend, and emphasized that the fix required only tying a knot between two strings that were currently lying on either side of the causeway.
When state policemen arrived at the site at 6:45, the eruv was quickly restored once the location’s safety had been guaranteed.
According to Rosenberg, the episode highlighted the value of establishing and preserving strong working ties with police enforcement.
The Florida Highway Patrol’s quick action was much appreciated because time was of the essence.
JOIN US ON WHAT'SAPP, TO GET INSTANT STATUS UPDATES AND BE IN THE KNOW.
CLICK HERE
