Center City / South Philly Eruv Update
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Dear Friends,
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We want to update you on the current status of the Center City / South Philly Eruv: it is currently temporarily
down, and we are working diligently to restore it as soon as possible.
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With the retirement of our longtime eruv repair expert, Rabbi Rephoel Szmerla, a new professional, Rabbi
Baruch Gore, is now taking over.
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We want to take a moment to express our deep gratitude to Rabbi Szmerla for his many years of dedicated
service. Week after week-often in difficult weather and late in the day on Fridays-he worked tirelessly to
maintain and repair the eruv for the community. His quiet, consistent efforts were a key reason why our eruv
was reliably up most weeks, and we thank him sincerely.
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We're pleased to welcome Rabbi Baruch Gore as our new eruv repair professional. Rabbi Gore has extensive
experience repairing and maintaining eruvin throughout the area and is an excellent fit for our community. His
familiarity with both the halachic and practical aspects of eruv maintenance makes for a seamless transition
as he takes on this responsibility.
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To ensure a smooth and responsible handoff, Rabbi Gore is conducting a full inspection of the eruv's extensive
and complex layout. Given the size and scope of our city eruv, this process is understandably taking time.
While several areas in need of repair have already been identified, Rabbi Gore is waiting until thefull inspection
is complete before beginning the necessary work.
In addition to routine maintenance, structural upgrades are also needed due to changes in city infrastructure
and evolving technology. These improvements are essential for maintaining the halachic integrity and
long-term stability of the eruv.
We know how central the eruv is to our lives, enhancing our experience of Shabbat in so many ways, and we
are doing everything we can to bring it back into service as quickly and responsibly as possible.
We're also asking for your help.
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These inspections and upgrades come at a significant cost. If you're able to contribute to the eruv repair fund,
your support will go directly toward sustaining this vital community resource and helping us get the eruv up
and running sooner.
You can donate here.
Thank you for your continued patience and understanding. We'll keep you posted as work progresses. Please
don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.
For halachic questions regarding carrying on Shabbat while the eruv is down, please consult your rabbi.
Rabbi Eliezer Hirsch
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Director, Center City / South Philly Eruv
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Rabbi Eliezer Hirsch
Mekor Habracha/Center City Synagogue
1500 Walnut Street
Suite 206 (2nd floor)
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215-525-4246