North London Eruv

[sp1814]

What are your feelings on this?

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/plan-to-mark-out-jewish-eruv-in-camden-with-fishing-wire-a3260761.html

I had to look this up because even reading the report, I was a bit lost.

There's a ton of stuff that Orthodox Jews aren't allowed to do on the Sabbath, including carrying things (e.g.. keys) and pushing things (eg. prams and wheelchairs) outside the house.

But an eruv extends the boundaries of their properties, so technically, the fishing wire extends the boundary of their homes.

Literally never heard of this rule before, and to be honest, I don't understand how the fishing wire can act as a boundary for each home in the area.

[jourdain2]

I'd never heard of an 'eruv' before - I clicked onto this thinking it was something about the EU vote! Yes I understand the thinking behind it (that is always my problem, understanding the thinking of others) but it seems totally ridiculous to me and I am amazed that it has continued (and been allowed to do so) in the UK.

Most certainly no physical boundary should be permitted - not even with fishing wire - because once a limit has been established it can be reinforced. Even as it is it is a separatist concept which is unacceptable.

[jourdain2]

For mikey "Goodnight, Lucy - I love you."

[New Judge]

The eruvs are not closed off to others, jourdain. They are simply areas where Jewish "rules" are not enforced. I've seen the one in Golders Green and you would not even notice it unless you looked hard. All it means is that the Jewish people can beheave normally on the Sabbath within the eruv.

It's as mad as a box of frogs but it does no harm and, most importantly, it does not impinge on any Gentiles in the area.

[jourdain2]

Thank you NJ.

[naomi24]

jourdain, I don't think the boundary prohibits non-Jews from using the area. It is simply a boundary for Jews observing the Sabbath.

[naomi24]

Cross-posted with New Judge.

[atalanta]

I used to know a jewish person who went round tearing up the loo paper on a Friday morning so no tearing was required on the sabbath. (Makes you wonder about the wiping, doesn't it ? . . . . . )
Also, there are blocks of flats in Israel where the lifts go up and down all through the sabbath with doors opening and closing at every floor, whether or not anyone needs the lift. When you look to buy a flat in such a block, the advertisement says "sabbath lift"

[mikey4444]

Atalanta......you couldn't make all his daftness up if you tried !

No wonder that organised religion is having some such opprobrium attached to it these days.

[naomi24]

atalanta, staying in certain hotels in Israel on the Sabbath can present problems too. You have to be good at bed-making, drying yourself on yesterday's wet towels, and relishing the prospect of a cold, manky breakfast that was laid out goodness knows when.