Antwerp to Lose Eruv this Shabbat

Antwerp, Belgium will be without an Eruv this Shabbat (June 19-20), due to a clown, according to a report in Bechadarei Chareidim.

For religious purposes, an Eruv converts a public domain into a private domain for the purposes of carrying on Shabbat, which is otherwise forbidden according to Jewish law. It often consists of nothing more than fishing line stretched between points around a neighborhood or city, to enclose an area.

The City of Antwerp will be holding their annual parade, and last year the Eruv had to be cut to let an elephant through.

But this year, the problem is a very large clown that needs access for the parade.

What this means is that the Antwerp Jewish community won't be able to carry items this Shabbat, which might cause problems for the Pshevoshke Rebbe who is celebrating the Sheva Brachot (post-marriage celebration) of his daughter.

Mazel Tov.