Stewart Ain trivializes the needs of observant Jews for an eruv (“Eruv Suit In Hamptons Fueling New Tensions,” Jan. 21) by describing observant Jews hiring non-Jews to push their baby carriages, strollers and wheelchairs so they could attend synagogue on Shabbat.
Paying a non-Jew to push strollers and wheelchairs is normally not permitted. “Amira Leakum” (asking a non-Jew to violate the Shabbat for a Jew) is permitted only in restricted circumstances.
The reason that the lawsuit mentions this “cost” (after saying “when permitted”) is as an element of the damages suffered by the defendants’ violation of the plaintiffs” constitutional and statutory rights.
As noted, leading with that narrow fact trivializes the serious constitutional and statutory issues raised by the lawsuit.
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