Slim plastic pipes affixed to a utility pole in Mahwah are part of a new eruv, a symbolic boundary that allows Orthodox Jews to perform tasks outside their homes that usually are prohibited on the Sabbath.
Orthodox Jews from Rockland County, N.Y., have been venturing into northwestern Bergen County towns – most notably, Mahwah and Ramsey – not to take up residence, but to use local taxpayer-supported parks and recreational facilities and to set up outdoor zones where members of their sect can avoid its strict prohibitions on Sabbath activities.
Doblin: An eruv connects Mahwah to Clybourne Park.Lawsuit: Orthodox Jewish group sues Mahwah over plan to issue eruv summonses.
Frankly, towns like Ramsey and Mahwah were no different from the rest of society in the early part of the 20th century, when not only anti-Semitism, but anti-Catholicism, anti-foreigner and anti-everyone with a darker skin tone were prevailing sentiments.