The largest concentration of Orthodox Jews in Australia have more than a passing interest in the upcoming installation of overhead cables by a pay television company.
The cables, to be put up by the Optus company in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, will create an “eruv” that has been approved under Jewish law.
Orthodox Jews are not permitted to carry anything – even a key – outside their private property on Shabbat. The artificial boundary known as an eruv turns otherwise public space into an extension of private space, making the act of carrying possible.
The Orthodox Jews in the area negotiated with the company about the placement of the cables. Unlike previous efforts to establish “eruvim” in the area, the plan for the Optus cables is widely accepted among Orthodox Jews.
Members of the Jewish community reportedly will contribute to the cost of the cables that define the eruv.
Some residents had protested that the cables would “visually pollute” the area.
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