I read Norman Burgess's letter (Monstrous eruv will only be divisive', Times Letters, August 15) in disgust.
I have lived in many communities with eruvs, and even as a religious Jew, I would be hard pressed to point out where the little bit of fishing wire was strung. It simply doesn't affect those who don't care about this particular religious law and it in no way contributes to divisiveness, as his letter suggests.
Indeed, the communities with eruvs that I've lived in have far lower levels of anti-Semitism than Barnet. I've been called a "****ing Jew" on more than one occasion during my time in Edgware.
Despite having lived in or visited many communities with eruvs, including communities in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Canada and Australia, I have never encountered anti-Semitism anywhere near as strong as here in London.
Many people in London already hate Jews. For that reason, an eruv won't increase anti-Semitism in Barnet in any significant way.
Joseph Cox
Heronsgate, Edgware
August 19, 2002 16:30
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