Pacific Jewish Center | Rabbi » eruv

A Celebration of America in the LA Times on July 4

rabbifink — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 23:28:33 +0000

When considering the importance of the July 4th holiday in America, it is almost impossible to overstate it. July 4th is the day it all began. It is the day that set into motion all of the wonderful things that is the United States of America.

Perhaps above all, the second line of the Declaration of Independence illustrates why July 4th 1776 changed the world forever.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

This line has taken on a life that goes well beyond the intended meaning of this proclamation. It has become a calling card for civil rights and equality for all. It has created an environment where many religions have been able to flourish alongside seculars and humanists. It has created a country where no one can be discriminated against for their beliefs.

In theory this is certainly a powerful sentiment. But if people are forced into non-discrimination would that create a harmonious atmosphere of different groups working together? Or would it simply protect against overt acts of violence or threats between groups?

In real life, it’s a mixed bag. Too often it is the latter. When it is the former it is worth noting. Especially on July 4th.

Today’s LA Times ran an article about the LA Eruv. (What’s an Eruv? My explanation is here: The Good Wife: Unorthodox, From a Rabbi / Law Student Perspective.) The LA Eruv uses the 405 Freeway for one of its walls. In case you haven’t heard, the 405 is the world’s biggest parking lot. During rush hour it can literally take an hour to travel a mile. To help relieve some of the stress on the 405, Caltrans is doing some construction.

The 405′s most dense corridor runs between the 10 Freeway and the 101 Freeway. That corridor will be 100% closed for TWO FULL DAYS. Los Angeles will be a traffic nightmare. (Carmaggedon – of course)

All the construction has also been a potential nightmare for the Eruv committee. Each project along the 405 breaks the wall and it is necessary to fill that area in with a temporary “wall” until the construction in that area is complete. Working together with Caltrans, the Eruv committee has been able to satisfy the halachic requirements for the Eruv every week during the construction.

But they have help. Howard Witkin, an administrator with the LA Eruv says:

“The level of help we’ve had, from the Roman Catholic permit people at Caltrans … to the Muslim line inspector along the freeways who gave us engineering help.…The level of deference and courtesy and kindness — it makes you feel good that you live in America.”

Yes it does.

So on July 4th, we celebrate the birth of a country that enables this kind of relationship between vastly different groups with very different beliefs.

HT: DM

Link: LA Times

Jon Stewart’s Hilarious Eruv Video (and some commentary)

rabbifink — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:53:54 +0000

Yesterday, Wyatt Cenac of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart did a really funny and slightly sad video on the status of the Westhampton Eruv on Long Island. Apparently, there is some opposition that is non-sensical, bigoted and pathetically transparent.

It’s sad to see that the primary opposition to the eruv is from a yiddish speaking Jew. It’s also sad to see him so thoroughly embarrassed in the clip. I actually feel bad for the guy as much of a jerk he seems in the clip…

At the Pacific Jewish Center, we have faced similar opposition to our proposed eruv. And by similar I mean, coming from Jews and equally self contradictory. It is our hope that we will pick up the eruv project for Santa Monica, Venice and Marina del Rey in the near future.

I hope Westhampton gets their eruv and I hope we get ours soon as well. Some commentary below the clip.

The Daily Show – The Thin Jew Line
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

First of all, an eruv is technically not a loophole. I explained in brief here: The Good Wife: Unorthodox, From a Rabbi / Law Student Perspective that an eruv is not a loophole. Here is what it is (and this is good for people who actually don’t know and people who need to explain to people who don’t know):

The prohibition against carrying on Shabbos is from a private domain to a public domain or a second private domain. One IS permitted to carry within their own home. One is permitted to carry within their own enclosed property (eg: a yard surrounded by a fence). One is permitted to carry from inside their home to their enclosed outdoor property as well. The function of the eruv (which unlike the not so funny joke during the clip does not mean loophole, it means mixture) is to mix / connect many domains into one LARGE private domain. All that is required is a SYMBOLIC enclosure that is halachically considered a wall. A wire running from two poles is sufficient to create a symbolic halachic wall.

Thus, when a wire surrounds a large area that has been designated as a single private domain, joining all the private domains therein into ONE domain, obviously carrying is permitted within that one domain. There are some requirements that need to be met for the large domain to include the private domains. If those requirements are met and there is a unification of many domains via a symbolic, halachic wall, one may carry within that domain exactly as they can carry from room to room within one’s own home.

Second of all, like I said, it is sad to see Jews pitted against each other. Though, I can’t assign all blame to the fellow who is against having Orthodox Jewish neighbors. Sometimes Orthodox Jews don’t make the best neighbors. I don’t mean this is in an entirely negative way. It’s normal for Orthodox Jews not to be completely neighborly with their less religious neighbors. They have different standards and different priorities. It can get messy. All I mean to say is that we should be conscious of the opinions of our neighbors and be even more scrupulous to be the best neighbors possible. If we would do that, I am sure we would be less resistance from others to moving to their neighborhoods.

Third of all, we see most clearly how ugly bigotry looks when it affects us personally. It is important to try to avoid these kinds of bigoted remarks and behavior in relation to others. Especially after we see how it feels to be a victim of that bigotry. Please keep that in mind next time you say / hear a blanket, statement that could be construed as racist, bigoted, small minded or hateful.

KCET Departures Features Pacific Jewish Center

rabbifink — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 19:27:34 +0000

Back in November I wrote about our local PBS station, KCET, coming to visit us one morning to be part of their Departures Online Series. (KCET Visits PJC and Interviews Me). At the time, we were told that the project would be online in March or April. Not hearing from the producers since the interview I had a feeling that the project was dead.

I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised when I was treated to an email from producer Justin Cram that the Web Series was online and we were part of it!

This is the second time we have been featured in a wonderful online video project. Just a few weeks ago we were featured on MSNBC.com. (Pacific Jewish Center Featured on MSNBC.com)

The Departures project is massive. Departures is a journey around Los Angeles and into the heart and soul of the City. You could spend hours, perhaps days, discovering more and more about local Los Angeles. The series features stunning photography, interactive murals, video and a wealth of first hand information.

I am amazed at the quality of Departures and really recommend checking out the section on Pacific Jewish Center as well as the hundreds of other stories.

KCET came to visit us at morning services. I am photographed wearing my tallis and tefilin (phylacteries), no, it is not a mohawk.

Gary Dalin was interviewed about the history of our Shul and he gets 3 segments and I get 2 segments. Please watch below.

Pacific Jewish Center really needs your help.

To help Pacific Jewish Center with a secure Credit Card Donation please clink here:

Visit Pacific Jewish Center on KCET Departures here: Departures/PJC

Visit Departures here: Departures

The Good Wife: Unorthodox, From a Rabbi / Law Student Perspective

rabbifink — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:33:59 +0000

The Good Wife is a new legal drama on CBS. The show is great. Usually the legal issues are portrayed correctly (at least from a law student’s perspective) and the character development of the main character has been superb.

This week’s episode revolved around a chasidic couple living in Chicago who were responsible to fix a fallen eruv wire, but since it fell on Shabbos they had to wait until Shabbos had ended and in the meantime a woman claims she fell over the wire and is suing for 1.2 million dollars in punitive damages. The title of the episode does not refer to the couple, rather it refers to their lawyer with an unorthodox approach to law.

Read on for my comments, critiques and a HUGE PLOT HOLE.

The defense is based on the 1st Amendment, freedom of speech, and claims that the couple has the right to practice their religion and a jury should decide if they are liable when they believe it would be wrong for them to fix the eruv wire. That defense fails when the wife (a recent baalas tshuva / one who returns to Orthodox Judaism later in life) is found to have been making phone calls to her father on Shabbos. If she calls her father on Shabbos she should also be able to fix the fallen wire. Ultimately, the defense shows that the entire slip and fall was concocted and the jury finds for the defense.

You can read a full synopsis of the episode here or, even better, you can watch the show (at least for the time being) on CBS.com.

The portrayal of the chasidic community, the laws of eruv and the relationship between the chasidic couple were pretty good. BUt there were a few things that they got wrong. It is so funny to me that any orthodox Jew would notice the nuances that are incorrect but the entire staff of the show does not see the mistakes. Ironically, last week’s episode of The Good Wife revolved around a witness who could not tell the difference between 2 black men. It seems that people from other ethnicities have a hard time seeing the nuances of other ethnicities. It is no different when Hollywood tries to portrays Jews. They simply don’t have the sensitivities to the finer details of orthodox Judaism, especially chasidic Judaism.

Things They Got Mostly Correct

The chasidic garb. She was wearing typical women’s dress. Subdued colors and very modest. He was in black and white with his hat nearby at all times.

Strollers. Everyone had strollers in the chasidic neighborhood.

Kosher markets. There was a kosher market within walking distance.

The shomrim guy. He looked like every non-chasidic Hatzalah (Jewish volunteer ambulance core) guy I know.

The intimacy between the couple. Most couples on the show celebrate victory with public hugs and kisses. The chasidic couple did not embrace in public, but their connection was displayed by touching each other’s hands secretly.

Mistakes

The chasidic guy never smiles. That is just not nice.

The chasidic guy has a “tchup”(coiffed hair), chasidic men have hair that is cut very short.

The chasidic guy has a trimmed beard, that is not common at all.

The chasidic guy has a RING! (I mean, come on, that’s an easy one!)

They say an eruv “creates a symbolic courtyard“, that’s not quite true, an eruv joins many domains into one common domain by surround the entire community with a wall. (But that is a hard one.)

A young chasidic boy has a leather kipa perched awkwardly on the back of his head.

Something That Bothered Me

The wife was a twice rehabbed drug loving party girl who found chasidic Judaism while incarcerated. Showing her revival as a chasidic Jewish woman bothered me slightly. It was if to say, one has to be so crazy to find chasidic Judaism attractive. Maybe I am nitpicking, but it bothered me just a little.

HUGE PLOT HOLE

When the plaintiff got injured it was Shabbos. She was asked why she was walking through this neighborhood and she said she was going to the market. She was asked why this market if there are four markets closer to her home and she said because this market is the kosher market where they sell gluten free products.

Do you see the problem? (answer below)

This is an inexcusable error. CBS, next time you want to do a show with chasidic or Orthodox Jewish characters and plot elements you can hire me. I will be your rabbinical consultant and make sure you get it right.

The Good Wife is a great show. One of the reasons it is great is not the attention to detail. A twitter buddy of mine also noticed a legal problem a few weeks ago. I guess when you are law student and a Rabbi you are going to notice the mistakes of Jewish culture and law.

(Plot hole answer: The kosher market is closed on Shabbos. She could never be walking to a kosher market on Shabbos!)

Read this blog post by @matthue about his experience as an extra for the episode!