Why This Biker Drove a Mitzvah Tank on Rosh Hashana

When the city decided to paint a bike lane where the Mivtzah Tank was parked for Rosh Hashana, a biker was unhappy. But after a conversation with bochurim doing Mivtza Shofar, he decided to drive the tank himself.

By Anash.org reporter

As every year, Meir’s Mitzvah Tank, directed by Rabbi Yehuda Pevzner, was parked in Manhattan before Rosh Hashanah, so bochurim could use it on Yom Tov to invite passersby to hear the shofar inside. However, an unforeseen change got it wide publicity.

This year, on Rosh Hashana morning, the city decided to paint a bike lane in the exact space where the tank was parked. Since the tank could not be moved, the city workers painted the bike lane around the tank.

The situation took an interesting turn when a non-Jewish biker expressed displeasure with the tank in the bike lane. The bochurim explained that they coulnd’t move it on yom tov, and offered him to move it if he would like. The man agreed and he moved the tank to the new designated parking space beyond the new bike lane.

Thanks to the presence of the mitzvah tank and the group of ten bochrim who came to blow shofar, over 500 Jews were able to hear the sound of the shofar over Rosh Hashanah.