Proposed ‘eruv’ would encompass Swampscott, Marblehead Jewish community

SWAMPSCOTT – A fishing line may soon be strung from the tops of telephone poles encircling parts of Swampscott and Marblehead.The line would envelope the two towns in an eruv, a symbolic enclosure that surrounds the Jewish community.According to old Jewish law, Jews are not allowed to carry anything on their person outside their home during the Sabbath, which prevents the disabled from using any kind of aid like a cane or wheelchair. It also prevents parents from holding their babies or pushing them in a stroller.Daniel Turgel, a Swampscott resident, is leading the project. “You have disabled people who can’t go to temple without breaking the Sabbath rules,” he said. Turgel said Jews should be able to go to their place of worship without having to feel guilty about it, or have to stay at home just to follow the rules.The eruv encloses an area where people would be allowed to carry children or use walking aids in order to attend temple services.Turgel said it’s not just the Orthodox community who is affected by the “ongoing struggle” because of the lack of an eruv. “We think it will benefit everybody,” he said.The proposed eruv would run along Essex Street, Loring Avenue, Tedesco Street and Pleasant Street on one side through the two towns and crossing Ocean Street in Marblehead before running back down Atlantic Avenue, around Phillips Avenue in Swampscott the line will begin zig-zagging through town, finally intersecting New Ocean Street to close the loop at Essex Street. The transparent fishing line will be threaded through screws with a looped head that are screwed into the top of the telephone poles that run along these streets.So far, Turgel has taken inventory of the telephone poles that will be used in the eruv and met with experts from Brookline, the closest town with an eruv, and the world expert in Baltimore, Md. He said the next step is to get utilities to sign off on the project.Turgel is planning to partner with the Greater Boston Eruv Corporation, the organization responsible for the eruv covering Brookline, Newton and Brighton that was constructed in the 1980s, according to their website, www.bostoneruv.org.Town Administrator Thomas Younger said he will be visiting those cities, plus meeting with the town administrator of Brookline to see how the eruv was put in place.As far as cost to the taxpayer, Younger said, “To my understanding there is no cost to the town ? the whole process is privately funded.”Younger said Turgel has hired a contractor and will need to pay for the proper permits to make the eruv happen.A discussion will take place Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting at Town Hall. Younger said the discussion will be for the community to listen to the proposition and voice opinions on the matter.Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].