Mahwah, NJ – A town in New Jersey has ordered an Orthodox Jewish organization to take down its eruv, or religious boundary, by early next month.
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Mahwah, which is located across the New York state border, told the South Monsey Eruv Fund to remove the white plastic piping from utility poles that it uses for the symbolically enclosed area by Aug. 4. An eruv allows observant Jews to carry objects and push strollers outside of their homes on Shabbat.
The Orthodox community told The Associated Press that it had been given permission to hang the piping by the utility company. But town officials said the piping is banned because it is considered signage.
More than 1,200 people have signed an online petition calling for the eruv to be taken down. Many of the dozens of comments accompanying the petition, titled “Protect the Quality of our Community in Mahwah,” refer to “these people” and express concerns about falling property values. Most of them are anonymous.
“I don’t want these rude, nasty, dirty people who think they can do what they want in our nice town,” one of the comments reads.
Another says: “I do not want the town of Mahwah to turn into an undesirable place to live. These people do not assimilate with other people outside their community. I do not want them controlling our school board and siphoning funds for their yeshivas. Also, they buy houses which they claim is for religious purposes and do not pay taxes. They should stay where they are and leave our town alone.”
“…controlling our school board and siphoning funds for their yeshivas…buy houses which they claim is for religious purposes and do not pay taxes…”
Sadly, this is not inaccurate reflection of events in Spring Valley and Lakewood.
As was said in another frum forum…we are our worst enemy, giving plenty of ammunition to the anti-Semites.
Sounds like the America my grandparents encountered.
Time for the Agudah to show them some LOVE
I don’t understand
Is it the piping or the eruv they want to get rid of?
Wow, stupidity. You draw a map, put it on an app, and email it out and people will know where they can carry. We should be thankful they let us put up the Eruv and not test their patience.
Seems like a bit of anti-Semitism going on here. Property values would probably rise. Of course, with rising property values go rising assessments – and higher property taxes. A bet that when the matter is appealed the poles will not be deemed to be signage – but it is just another example of the downside of our refusal to assimilate.
I doubt that there are too many observant Jews in Mahwah. In which case there is no need for this. South Monsey isn’t even close to Mahwah. It’s on the Montvale border. They are coming across as bullies. It’s like “watch out here we come”.
There is plenty of legal precedent for the establishment of an Eiruv. This has been litigated in court and the Eiruv won. Its just a matter of time until it works its way through.
In many cases, it is secular Jews who are against the Eruv; there was such a case in the Hamptons, a few years ago. Also, in University Heights, near Cleveland, Ohio, the secular Jews were against an area being developed for several frum Shuls, as well as a Chabad.