JEWISH people confined to their homes by religious law on Saturdays could move freely if plans to construct a continuous boundary around parts of Redbridge are given the green light.


The Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue in Limes Avenue, has applied to Redbridge Council for permission to erect poles to create Essex’s first eruv - an area regarded by Jewish law as an extension of the home.


Observant Jews are currently banned from carrying or pushing any items, including prams, keys and even medicine, outside their houses after nightfall on Fridays - but would be allowed to do so within the eruv.

If approved, the plans would see 'gateways' of two six-metre poles linked by fine wire installed in Connor Close, Mossford Lane, Greystone Gardens and Fullwell Cross in Barkingside and in Manor Road and Long Green, Chigwell.


The synagogue’s rabbi Baruch Davis said the creation of an eruv would allow elderly worshippers and those with young children to attend the synagogue on the Sabbath.


He said: "We would have liked to have had something like this years ago, but now that other areas in London have it, it's given us the confidence to ask for it.


"It's made us feel that if we want to hold on to our community we need to create one - that's very important.


"We've had a very enthusiastic response from the community. They are very much behind us."


The eruv would utilise existing features, such as walls and railway lines, as natural boundaries. But, where the perimeter is broken by roads, it is marked by poles and wires.


The Greystone Gardens proposal has drawn objections from 14 residents, who claim the poles would be visually intrusive, affect house prices, create parking problems and attract vandalism.


Rabbi Davis said: "There is precedent, so any concerns that people have, they can look to other boroughs and see that actually, where eruvs have been set up, people don't tend to notice them.

"The poles are painted appropriately according to the area, using anti-climb and anti-vandal paint.


"Neither do they hinder parking. They are less obtrusive than street lights because they are not near to the kerb and they are much narrower."


He added there was no evidence to suggest the eruv would bring down house prices and that its creation could attract buyers to the area.

The council's trees and landscaping department has also objected to the Manor Road plans, saying the erection of both poles would lead to 'potentially unacceptable levels of damage' to trees.

“There has been a meeting to discuss that and it will just require a minor relocation of the poles," said Rabbi Davis.


Five eruvim have been erected in London since the first, and largest, was built in Finchley and Hendon in 2003.


It attracted opposition from some secular Jews and non-Jews, who thought it was unnecessary, and from some Jewish people who thought it was bending their own rules.

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