The life of an eruv inspector

a brisk and sunny February afternoon in Denver, Tuvia Gordon-Bennett has his work cut out for him. One suspects that he might prefer to enjoy a leisurely lunch, or perhaps catch forty winks today, but such is not his fate. As executive director of the East Denver Eruv, Tuvia has responsibilities, one of which is to visually inspect that eruv, a mostly physical boundary which, in a sometimes zig-zag fashion, encircles a substantial portion of East Denver in which reside a good many observant Jews and their institutions. Before embarking on his inspection, Tuvia provides, with characteristic enthusiasm, a thumbnail sketch of what an eruv is since, to most people, including a good many Jews, the very concept of such a thing is abstract and […]