TENAFLY'S SUBTLE RACISM (Keep the Orthodox Away)

New York Post ^ | June 25, 2003 | Eric Fettmann

[nickcarraway]

June 25, 2003 -- LOST in all the hoopla over Monday's affirmative-action rulings was another Supreme Court decision that should finally put an end to an ugly and pointless local controversy. The justices declined to hear the Tenafly Borough Council's appeal of a Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruling - a unanimous decision that let Orthodox Jews construct an eruv in that Bergen County town.

[OldFriend]

Nothing new here. During the Crown Heights riots when Dinkins was Mayor the secular jewish community was silent at the horrific attacks on the orthodox jewish people in that community.

[nickcarraway]

ping

[dennisw]

I'm familiar with the eruv idea.

[jimkress]

An eruv forms a symbolic "fence" within which observant Jews can perform certain otherwise prohibited tasks on the Sabbath - e.g., parents of young children can use baby strollers or carriages.

It never ceases to amaze me at the wild gyrations some poeple will go through to rationalize their refusal to obey their own religious rules.

[jimkress]

This is the kind of legalistic silliness that has repeatedly gotten Jews in trouble with God throughout the centuries.

Will they never learn?

[SJackson]

This is the kind of legalistic silliness that has repeatedly gotten Jews in trouble with God throughout the centuries. Will they never learn?

G-d doesn't like string? Learn something new here every day!

[grego]

God bless Orthodox Jews! I respect them very much

[jimkress]

Are you threatening us?

LOL!

[Naomi4]

I learned about the eruv recently. This is how it was explained to me, and this may help you overcome your cynicism and better understand.

There is an injunction on work on the Sabbath and observant Jews may not carry things because that would constitute work. Anyone who has toted around babies and young children certainly knows carrying them is work.

Maintaining faithfulness to the injunction not to carry on the Sabbath compelled young observant families to stay home on the Sabbath, or at least one parent had to, usually the mother, to care for the children. To go out lent the possibility that during the course of the outing it might be necessary to pick up and carry the child. However, being forced to stay home lest one violate the Sabbath also took away pleasure from observing the Sabbath.

A way to allow young families to take their babies out on the Sabbath and also remain observant was to create a zone of permission within a small area that would emcompass the synagogue and homes of the community. Observant Jews live within walking distance of their synagogues so that they can attend services without having to drive there.

The eruv is not an attempt to allow a breaking of the rules and laws but exactly the opposite. By humanizing the rule it encourages compliance of the spirit of the rule which is to liberate observant Jews from all burdens of work on the Sabbath.

[Nachum]

This is the kind of legalistic silliness that has repeatedly gotten Jews in trouble with God throughout the centuries.

Will they never learn?

No, Thank God, they will never "learn" to stop observing Jewish law.