In a modern twist, the area's Jews will be able to get regular weekly updates on the eruv's status via the social-networking Web site Twitter.
By MICHAEL FREUNDeruv 2(photo credit: AP)
The city of San Francisco now has an eruv, which enables religious Jews to carry in the public domain on Shabbat.
In a modern twist, the area's Jews will be able to get regular weekly updates on the eruv's status via the social-networking Web site Twitter.
"This was one of the last major US cities not to have an eruv, so I thought it was time for a San Francisco eruv," Rabbi Joshua Strulowitz of Congregation Adath Israel, who was behind the initiative, told The Jerusalem Post.
The eruv, located in the city's Sunset District, required more than three years of planning.
"The city of San Francisco was extremely helpful. Both the chief of police, Heather Fong, and the supervisor of our district, Carmen Chu, helped to make it a reality," he said.
Once the eruv was complete, the community needed a way to keep members informed about its condition, lest someone inadvertently carry on Shabbat when the eruv is down.
"One of the members of our eruv committee works for Twitter, so we wanted to find a way to use it for the eruv," said Rabbi Strulowitz, adding that, "It's instant, only those interested will get the updates, and the updates automatically get posted on our Web site, www.adathisraelsf.org.
"Twitter was made for eruv updates," he said, adding, "It's a San Francisco-based company, so the synergy was easy to see."
