An Eruv is a special “exception” to the Jewish law that prohibits transporting objects from place to place on the Sabbath. An area which is enclosed by a physical barrier (fences, walls, or with the proper modifications, utility wires) may be designated as a single “place” allowing observant Jews to transport objects with them inside the enclosed area.
B’nai Torah maintains an Eruv for the convenience of our members and visitors. The Eruv, incorporating utility wires, fences, and barriers along GA Highway 400, encloses a few square miles in Sandy Springs, stretching from GA Highway 400 to Roswell Road. The route begins at the bridge where Mt. Vernon Highway crosses Georgia 400, follows GA Highway 400 to Hammond Drive, and then runs along Hammond Drive to Glenridge Drive. It proceeds north on Glenridge Drive to Johnson’s Ferry Road to Roswell Road. It continues along Roswell Road north towards the Weber School, includes The Weber School, and then follows The Weber School property line to Abernathy Road. It follows Abernathy Road to Glenridge Drive south. On Glenridge Drive, the Eruv follows utility poles until the fence of the Glenridge Close neighborhood, and from there it follows the fences of subdivisions to include the synagogue and the Staybridge suites, and proceeds along Mt. Vernon Highway back to GA Highway 400.
Key landmarks included within the Eruv are:
- Congregation B’nai Torah
- The Sonesta ES hotel
- Insignia Senior Living Community
- The Weber School
The proclamation signed by the Sandy Springs City Council, granting permission to use the Eruv, is displayed in the synagogue.
Our rabbis inspect the physical component of the Eruv on a regular basis, but the full Eruv may not be checked every week.