A New York-based technology company has completed what is believed to be the world’s first electronic monitoring system for an eruv, the ritual boundary that enables Orthodox Jews to carry objects on the Sabbath.
Aware Buildings, a specialist in long-range wireless sensors, has installed 142 devices along the 25-mile Manhattan Eruv, which stretches from Battery Park to 145th Street.
The two-year project marks a shift from labour-intensive manual inspections to a system of automated alerts, underscoring the growing adoption of IoT solutions.
The eruv, established 26 years ago, is central to observant Jewish life in Manhattan. It allows families to push prams, carry food and perform other otherwise restricted tasks during the Sabbath. The boundary is formed by linking existing structures such as utility poles and walls with connecting wires.
If any of the elements of the boundary is missing or broken, the eruv ceases to exist, meaning that regular physical inspections are required.
For nearly two decades, inspections were conducted each Thursday morning by a rabbinic supervisor travelling from Monsey, New York. The task took three hours and, according to Rabbi Adam Mintz, the Manhattan Eruv’s administrator, prevented the inspector from taking a holiday for 18 years.
“When I learned that the rabbi inspecting the eruv every Thursday had not been able to get away to take a vacation for 18 years because of his inspection responsibilities, I knew technology could help,” said Jerry Kestenbaum, Chief Executive of Aware Buildings.
The sensors, mounted on wires and tethered to lamp posts, measure their orientation each hour. A break in the line causes a 90-degree shift, triggering text and email alerts to eruv administrators and to Spectrum on Broadway, the contractor responsible for repairs. Seventeen solar-powered hubs ensure connectivity across Manhattan.
Kestenbaum suggested the project could serve as a model for Jewish communities elsewhere. “There are more than 5,000 eruvim worldwide, many in cities where weekly checks are difficult,” he said. “Manhattan is the first to adopt electronic monitoring, but it won’t be the last.”
There’s plenty of other editorial on our sister site, Electronic Specifier! Or you can always join in the conversation by commenting below or visiting our LinkedIn page.
