An eruv for Sydney is soon to become a reality. After
the visit of one of the world's leading authorities on
eruvin, Rabbi Shimon Eider of Lakewood, the
completion of the eruv is coming near. The eruv
is expected to become operational a few weeks after
Pesach, when Sydney will join Melbourne as the second city
in Australia to have an eruv.
The pamphlet explaining various aspect of the new
eruv notes that "there are well over 200 eruvim
in Jewish communities all around the world, and many
more in Israel. Almost every major city has an Eruv."
The 26 kilometer long eruv has poles and cables (for
tzuras hapesach) along less than half of its length.
The other more than 50 percent is made up of walls and
fences and includes also cliff fences which extend for 6-7
kilometers along the South Head Pennisula. This means, as
Rabbi Eider says in his letter about the eruv, "that
it can be regarded as a majority of partitions
(mechiztas) therefore alleviating any concerns by the
Sephardi community who should be able to use it," as well as
others who are concerned with the position of the Rambam.
Rabbi Eider said the Sydney eruv is "one of the
largest and most beautiful Eruvim in the world."
A major difficulity was a break along Bondi Beach between
two cliffs. A solution was found to establish a fence around
the beach at a cost of $120,000. When permission was sought
in the local council they were only too happy to agree. The
eruv committee waited until after the Sydney Olympics
to build the steel fence which extends a kilometer along the
beach front. The steel for the fencing was sold at cost to
the eruv by Joe Sragossi of G. James Glass and
Alminium in Brisbane.
The Eruv Committee has an agreement with Optus Cable TV
network to put up wires on the poles they rent from the
Energy Department.
Rabbi Eider has paid two visits to Sydney to advise and see
to the implementation of the eruv. As part of his
inspection, Rabbi Eider was even taken by boat to examine
the cliffs and the issues of tel hamislaket and the
cliff overhang. Befor the eruv becomes operational
Rabbi Eider has asked for three continuous weeks of no
breakage. He also cautioned "Learned and G'd Fearing
inspectors (mashgichim) must inspect the Eruv before
every Shabbos. One should never assume that the Eruv is
operational without first checking." The ERUV INFOLINE (for
when it becomes operational) is: 9990 4982.
The eruv will be administered by the local rabbbinate
with the eruv being specifically overseen by Rabbi
Osher Reich, the rav of Adass Yisroel Shule, and Rabbi Moshe
Gutnick of Mizrachi.
The eruv extends from Vacluse to Moriah College in
the South and from the East Coast to Bondi Junction.
Rabbi Osher Reich rented the area from the head of the
police in the area, as the police are considered to have a
right of entry into people's houses.
