Jewish ‘Enclosure’ Case Goes to Supreme Court

TENAFLY, N.J. — The U.S. Supreme Court will be asked to decide if a town government can block Orthodox Jews from building a symbolic enclosure around their community that allows them to follow religious law.

The enclosure, known as an eruv, would be made by attaching plastic strips to utility poles around heavily Jewish neighborhoods. The presence of an eruv allows observant Jews to perform physical tasks on the Sabbath that would otherwise be banned, such as pushing strollers or carrying keys.

Local officials had argued that allowing the Orthodox community to build an eruv would constitute an improper government endorsement of religion.

In October, a federal appeals court rejected that claim and ruled that the project could go forward. The Tenafly borough council has voted to ask the high court to consider the case.