After more than a decade of planning, the St John’s Wood (North Westminster) and South Hampstead (Camden) eruvs are set to launch this Shabbat. 

Both projects have had to overcome significant challenges in establishing routes through parts of London with many listed buildings, conservation areas and a great number of large trees. 

Project leaders say the religious boundaries, enabling religious Jews to carry or push items on Shabbat, are the first in the world to utilise bespoke tapered poles, manufactured to blend into the streetscape.

The connected eruvs, the first to take in Central London, cover an area from Maida Vale in the west through to Kentish Town in the east, running along the outer edge, but not including, Regent’s Park. Primrose Hill Park is inside the boundary, allowing community and family activities to take place in the open air.

They also connect to the recently launched Brondesbury Park Eruv and the North-West London Eruv.

St John’s Wood Synagogue senior rabbi Dayan Ivan Binstock was “thrilled” at the  project’s completion. “We are enormously grateful to our sponsors, the support and guidance we received from the London Beth Din and Westminster Council, and the efforts of our volunteers and professional team, in particular, our architect Daniel Rosenfelder. Given the limitations that Covid-19 is placing on community life at this time, the benefit of an eruv to enhance the Shabbat experience is especially appreciated."

South Hampstead Synagogue’s Rabbi Shlomo Levin thanked Camden Council for its support, adding: "The eruv will be of immense benefit to many members of our communities, particularly young mothers, the elderly, wheelchair-bound and the disabled, many of whom have felt isolated during this Covid period."