UK: Objections to Eruv in North London

Via Daily Mail:

A six-mile perimeter could be created around an area of North London to help Orthodox Jews avoid restrictions on the Sabbath.

Fishing wire would be suspended from tall poles to create the boundary for what would become a huge eruv, acting as an extension of the walls of a home which would give Jews greater freedom.

But there are concerns the proposal to Camden Council by a group of synagogues could lead to ‘ghettoisation’ of the area, following similar fears raised in another application nearby in 2014.

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But one objector, Adrienne Burgess, told the council planning department: 'Hampstead is a multi-faith and no faith community. No religious group should impose its structures on this community.'

And Karen Cramer added: 'We need to take in the views of the whole community rather than just a minority religious group. Going ahead with the eruv also increases the threat of religious encroachment on public spaces from any religious groups.'

Meanwhile Elena Moynihan said: 'Much as we want to preserve people's freedom to faith, this should not be taken as an excuse to override the rights and rules of everybody else. Nobody else is allowed to build in our common spaces so why should religious bodies be?'

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