A North Shore University Hospital project about four years in the making was completed earlier this month: creating an eruv in an effort to reach out to a growing Orthodox Jewish population.
The project established an eruv, a special enclosure which creates a private space that allows members of the Orthodox community to carry certain items on Shabbat, like food and medication. It now encompasses the perimeter of the 57-acre Manhasset hospital grounds.
Michael Katz, a real estate professional in Great Neck who was heavily involved in the project, recalled when his father was rushed to the hospital with a serious health issue. As he made the trek to and from the hospital, Katz said he experienced the need to refurbish it first hand.
“Many families – for either happy or difficult reasons – find themselves using the hospital on the Sabbath,” Katz said. “The eruv will allow their experience to be more positive and successful because now they will be able to freely access all areas of the hospital and the services that are offered within the eruv.”
Katz also noted that the eruv allows people to carry common household items and use strollers and canes.
Derek Anderson, the associate director of operations at the hospital, said there had been an eruv on the property before, but it fell into a disrepair. The hospital’s engineers then worked with local landscapers to “redesign and revitalize,” he said, repairing the fencing and wiring of the eruv.
Rabbi Eitan Rubin, also from Great Neck, oversaw construction. He walked with volunteers along the entire eruv to gauge the fixes and integrity of the structure.
“This is another example of Northwell’s commitment to making members of the Orthodox Jewish community feel at home and welcome,” Rubin said. “The eruv is such an important part of our lives and we are very grateful to everyone who participated in this effort to help our families celebrate the Sabbath more easily.”
Rubin and Katz will continue to monitor the eruv.
The North Shore University Hospital eruv joins numerous others on Long Island.
The Great Neck Eruv encases most of the Great Neck peninsula, for example, which is home to at least a dozen Orthodox synagogues. There are also eruvin in Roslyn, New Hyde Park and other areas of Long Island, as well as in Queens.
According to a 2013 Pew Research Group study, the Orthodox community makes up about 10 percent of Jews nationwide – with 43 percent of all Jews living in the Northeast. But, the study suggests, the Orthodox community is likely to grow because of higher birth rates and higher retention among its younger population.
