Golders Green eruv will also help those who ‘dread Shabbos’ says top Federation rabbi
Rabbi Shraga Feivel Zimmerman delivered impassioned shiur explaining his motivation behind new eruv
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
The spiritual head of the Orthodox Federation of Synagogues has delivered an impassioned shiur explaining the necessity of a new Golders Green eruv ahead of it going live this Shabbat.
Speaking to a capacity audience at the local Hagers Shul, Rabbi Shraga Feivel Zimmerman said he had recognised the “great difficulty” some families with young children, and especially women have as they are “locked in at home a whole Shabbos.”
Addressing those who struggled with the demands of observing Shabbat to law, the rabbi said:”It is affecting their well being, their health, and I’m sorry to say, it’s affecting their Yiddishkeit.
“I can’t tell you how many people I’ve spoken to who told me that they’ve dread Shabbos,” he continued. “It’s hard to say…. but I’ve heard from people that hate Shabbos.”
Zimmerman said the motivation to spend years and thousands of pounds on building the eruv had been to assist older people and those who are handicapped.
But he then admitted rabbonim know what’s going on in houses” as he told Thursday’s event of those who were finding observing Shabbat in a Strictly Orthodox way a drain on their mental health.
He added:”I’m sorry to tell you, and I must tell you the truth that this is what’s going on in many, many houses where people are dreading Shabbos.
“And this message goes over to the children, even if it is not verbalised. ”
Zimmerman said:”Therefore it’s my firm belief that if we want another generation, or another two generations of shomer Shabbos we have to address this issue.
“That is what motivated me to do it.”
Constructed under his supervision, the eruv, approved by Barnet Council, will conform to the “highest halachic standards.”
The boundary, enclosing an area inside the North Circular, Hendon Way and the Finchley Road, converts a public area into notionally private space, in which observant Jews may carry certain items or push wheelchairs or buggies on the Sabbath.
The area is already covered by the London Beth Din’s North-West London eruv, but many Charedi Jews in the area were concerned that the United Synagogue run eruv did not conform to the highest standards of religious laws.
But some leaders of the Strictly Orthodox Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations have disputed the validity of Zimmerman’s eruv.
But others within the UOHC have accepted it.
In a letter to the community, Rabbi Zimmerman said “the new eruv that surrounds the Golders Green neighbourhood surpasses most city-wide eruvin in the world, in that it encompasses only a limited part of the city, it does not include highways, and particular effort was invested in its creation, both in terms of strong and stable construction, and in terms of adding many halachic chumros [stringencies] at the request of local rabbonim, such as gates that are able to be closed and many other enhancements.”
The eruv was “certainly kosher and may be relied up to carry within its boundaries on Shabbos and on Yom Kippur,” he stated.
An appeal at the end of last year raised £250,000 for the project.
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