Shul urges support for new Camden eruv which will allow community ‘to thrive’
Hampstead Synagogue urges congregation to back new eruv for Hampstead, Camden Town and Swiss Cottage as consultation gets underway.
Patrick Maguire is a reporter at the Jewish News.
Hampstead Synagogue is urging members of its congregation to lobby Camden Council as a public consultation on an eruv for the borough gets underway.
The plans – submitted by United Synagogue – propose the erection of the poles and wires necessary to facilitate the extension of the existing North West London Eruv to Hampstead, Camden Town and Swiss Cottage.
Eruvim are symbolic ritual boundaries consisting of utility poles connected by wire that demarcate entire Jewish communities as single places so as to enable strict Shabbat rules to be relaxed for orthodox Jews. 40 such poles will be installed across a six-mile area of the Borough if the application is approved.
Architects behind the plans say that, if successful, the installation will ensure coverage across a swathe of North London – with the new Camden Eruv connecting with planned Eruvim in Brondesbury and North Westminster, as well as West Hampstead Eruv, installed last year.
The installation of the North West London Eruv in Golders Green and Finchley in 2003 has been credited with a boom in Jewish schooling and shul attendance in the area.
Controversially-approved plans for an eruv in Bushey, however, led to public clashes between the area’s Orthodox Jews and the wider population – some of whom accused a “powerful Jewish lobby in Herstmere Borough Council” of “social engineering”.
And groups opposed to the installation of the eruv in West Hampstead cited concerns over wildlife and its potentially “divisive” nature.
Concerns over the impact of the eruv’s poles and wires on the character and aesthetics of the local conservation area were also raised by critics in both locations – but Camden eruv architect Daniel Rosenfelder insists there will be “no harm to designated heritage assets and no significant impact on the character and appearance of Camden’s streetscape in general”.
He told Jewish News: “Each eruv allows communities to thrive by being inclusive of wheelchair users, young children and their carers who at the moment, if observant, are unable to leave their homes on Shabbat; it also removes the current religious inhibition from them being encouraged to attend synagogue services as well as communal or any other social, leisure and other activities.
“The creation of an eruv is strongly supported by the Equality Act, which encourages assistance with the ‘prescriptive characteristics’ of all minority groups on whatever ground.”
The Board of Deputies of British Jews told Jewish News: “Like any individual planning application, this will have to be decided on its planning merits. However, the Board of Deputies of British Jews’ general view is that eruvs are positive. They have a beneficial equalities impact because they enable Orthodox Jews – including disabled people and parents with young children – to be mobile on Shabbat, whilst having no detrimental impact on people who are not Jewish or not observant.”
Hampstead Synagogue has issued detailed guidance to members wishing to submit responses to the public consultation.
A letter issued to attendees encourages potential respondents to include details of the perceived benefits of the “virtually invisible” eruv.
These include allowing parents of young children to leave their homes to worship and socialise at shul on Friday evenings and Saturdays, enabling members of the community to carry medication and visit friends and relatives in the Royal Free Hospital.
Up to 6,000 people could benefit if plans are approved, according to Rosenfelder. Those wishing to contribute to the public consultation can do so here.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
