Berkeley Eruv

The establishment of an Eruv in Berkeley, according to this article in the Jewish News of Northern California, involved less struggle and expense than similar projects in other areas. The following attempt to explain the concept with reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey is interesting:

Since the area encircled by the eruv’s series of conceptual doorways is a common space, [Rabbi Yair] Silverman has blessed a loaf of bread ostensibly owned by everyone in the community.

Think of that communal loaf — or, in Berkeley’s case, a box of matzah, which has a longer shelf life — as something like the HAL 2000 mainframe running the entire eruv. If the matzah is lost, stolen or eaten, the eruv loses its validity until a substitute “loaf” is properly installed.

The box of matzah is crammed away in a remote corner of Beth Israel, still sealed in plastic and emblazoned with its own “What do you think you’re doing, Dave?”-style warning, instructing in no uncertain terms to keep one’s hands off the box and immediately contact Silverman if anything happens to the matzah.

Tags: Eruv, Eiruvin, Judaism, Shabbos, California, Jewish California