MIAMI (VINnews/Sandy Eller) – It was a nail-biter of an Erev Shabbos this past week in Miami Beach, when a section of the eruv that crosses a well-traveled roadway broke just hours before Shabbos.
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Hatzalah South Florida member Mendel Sossonko told VIN News that he was contacted by a fellow volunteer at 3:30 PM on June 23rd to find out what items would be allowed to carry on Shabbos since the Miami Beach eruv had come down.
Sossonko reached out to Rabbi Shalom Blank, one of two of Miami Beach’s eruv inspectors, who confirmed that the eruv had broken over the Julia Tuttle Causeway, which is part of both State Route 112 and Interstate 95.
With the eruv covering a nine mile long area running from South Beach to Bal Harbour, its absence over Shabbos posed considerable hardships, and not only for local residents.
Numerous guests were in Miami Beach for the weekend, with some coming to attend one of several celebratory events, while others planned to take part in the June 24th memorial service commemorating the second anniversary of tragic Surfside building collapse.
Numerous efforts were made to coordinate the quick mid-roadway repair, but as 5 PM came and went without any progress, messages were sent out warning those in Miami Beach that the eruv would not be usable over Shabbos.
Shortly after 6 PM, Sossonko spoke with Florida Highway Patrol chaplain Mark Rosenberg who reached out to Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Troop E Miami and explained the urgent nature of the problem, which would affect thousands of people over the weekend, emphasizing that the repair was as simple as tying a knot between two strings that were currently lying on either side of the causeway.
State troopers were on scene by 6:45, and with the scene’s safety secured, the eruv was restored within a matter of seconds.
The incident underscored the importance of maintaining building and maintaining good working relationships with law enforcement, noted Rosenberg.
“Time was of the essence and we are grateful to the Florida Highway Patrol for stepping in at a moment’s notice, during rush hour, to provide assistance,” said Rosenberg.