Contesting Sacred Urban Space: The Case of the Eruv

Accommodating religious differences has proven to be a significant challenge for immigrant-receiving societies. This article examines conflicts that have arisen over attempts by Orthodox Jews to demarcate urban space for religious purposes through the establishment of an eruv. At once an intriguing blend of precisely bordered and creatively reimagined space, an eruv demarcates the urban space in which Orthodox Jews may carry on certain religious and communal practices on the Sabbath and Holy Days. Through case studies in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, this article explores the contested nature of minority religion in the public realm.