Eiruv

The Torah prohibits carrying outside of an enclosed, private area on Shabbat.  In addition, carrying for purposes not necessary is prohibited on other Jewish holidays.  Nevertheless, the area enclosed and considered private may vary in size from a small home to an entire community.  The Talmud specifies exactly how the enclosure is to be made and how to render the entire area a private domain.  Specifically, fences, wires and posts are used to create an enclosure, and the entire area is leased from the governmental authorities by the community.  This is the first step in completing an Eiruv.

The Great Neck Eiruv, in existence since 1975, encircles a significant area of the Great Neck peninsula and is administered by the Eiruv Association of Great Neck, an independent tax-exempt organization.  Within the boundaries of the Eiruv it is permissible to carry, subject to certain limitations, on Shabbat and to carry unnecessary items on Yom Tov, providing that they are not muktzeh.  The Eiruv is most helpful to families with young children who are permitted to wheel carriages or strollers within its boundaries.  Also, wheelchairs, crutches and canes may be used if necessary.

 Below please find a link to the map showing the current boundaries of the Eiruv, as well as a detailed description of the boundaries of the  Eiruv.  

 

The Boundaries of the Eiruv
Click on eiruv-map to review the map that indicates the boundaries of the Eiruv. It is permitted to carry only within these boundaries. Therefore, generally speaking, the boundary streets are to be considered outside the Eiruv. Anyone living on these streets should consult us. This description also indicates where in a number of cases it is permitted to carry on certain boundary streets. We ask you please to be careful to carry only within the borders we have established. Swimming pools and tennis courts are to be considered off-limits.

Detailed Description
Beginning at the corner of Hicks Lane and East Shore Road, the Eiruv proceeds down East Shore Road into Kings Point. (It is permitted to carry into Chabad of Great Neck and within its own Eiruv.)  It circles the Village of Kings Point running along East Shore Road until the point where the road turns to the west.  There the Eiruv continues north on the private road toward the water, crossing behind the houses to Harbour Road. It rejoins East Shore Road after passing in front of the swimming pool and continues on East Shore until it reaches Kennelworth. (Kennelworth is no longer included in the Eiruv until further notice.) 

The Eiruv continues west on Wildwood Road and proceeds to the edge of the North Shore Hebrew Academy property at the corner of Wildwood Rd. and Split Rock Rd. (The Eiruv actually runs around the back of the Academy property so that it is entirely included.)  It then turns right onto Split Rock Dr. and immediately left onto Cherry Lane, running until the intersection with Kings Point Road.  From there it turns right (toward the north) and runs until the south side of Split Rock Dr.  It then travels back to the east behind the houses on the south side of Split Rock, crosses Split Rock and goes back toward the west behind the houses on the north side of Split Rock until it reaches the intersection of Split Rock Dr. and King Point Road.  (This arrangement could not be avoided and requires that anyone carrying in that area consult the Eiruv committee to be certain of the exact boundaries.) The Eiruv now turns right and extends toward the north on Kings Point Road, all the way until the end (after the pond) when the Eiruv hits the sea wall.  It then continues southward on the sea wall until it intersects with the private road opposite Farmers Road.  It follows the road back until the intersection with Kings Point Road.  It then continues down the western side of Kings Point Road until a short distance south of Cherry Lane where it crosses to the east side of Kings Point Road.  (It is permitted to walk in the corridor we created on Kings Point Road from Pond Road to Cherry Lane, but south of Cherry it is forbidden to carry on Kings Point Road until after the intersection with Stepping Stone Lane.) 

After Cherry Lane, the Eiruv runs down Kings Point Road and then turns into Stepping Stone Lane and continues in front of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy until the wooden fence of the Academy at the northwest corner of the intersection of Stepping Stone and Steamboat.  The Eiruv follows this fence of the Academy until behind Sinclair Drive. There it crosses to Sinclair after no. 12 and continues on Sinclair all around until the intersection of Sinclair and West Shore Road. There it turns south onto West Shore. (It is permissible to carry on West Shore, only as far north as the Aryeh house as the Eiruv crosses West Shore.) It runs down West Shore, around the Katz property (1 Cove Lane), and continues on West Shore Road. (Entrance to the Katz house is only possible from the West Shore side as the Eiruv crosses Cove Lane.)

The Eiruv heads down West Shore Road as far as Romola Drive.  It turns west down Romola until it intersects the sea wall. The Eiruv follows the water until it reaches the Saddle Rock Park. (The Grist Mill, Saddle Rock Park and Pool are outside the Eiruv.) The Eiruv follows the Saddle Rock Park fence until reaching the end of the park. There it turns south on Grist Mill Lane (officially Berger Drive). The Eiruv heads south on Grist Mill (Berger) to Greenleaf Hill where it continues through the back yards between Edgewater and Greenleaf until the intersection with Hawthorne Lane where it turns down Shore Cliff Place.  (It is permitted to carry on Hawthorne Lane from Greenleaf to Bayview Ave.) 

The Eiruv follows Shore Cliff until Harbor Hills Pool. It continues along the outside of the Harbor Hills and Great Neck Estates Parks until it reaches the gatehouse of the Great Neck Estates Park. (Both Harbor Hills and Great Neck Estates Pools and Parks are outside the Eiruv.) It then follows Shore Drive to Cedar Drive and runs along the outskirts of Great Neck Estates, continuing south on Shore Drive and Juniper Drive.

The Eiruv then turns east for a short distance on Laurel Drive until it reaches the Great Neck Estates Pond Park. There it cuts through the park and intersects with Mirrielees Circle at # 10 and continues down the southern half of the circle and around to Crystal Drive. There it turns south and continues until the fence above the railroad tracks.

It continues east running along the northern edge of the railroad embankment until it reaches Bayview Avenue at the railroad bridge. (One can therefore enter North Shore Sephardic Synagogue-Ahavath Shalom from any direction.)  It then continues south on Water Mill La. and crosses into the parking lot of the Great Neck Terrace apartments opposite the Babylonian Jewish Center.  (The Babylonian Jewish Center is inside the Eiruv.)  The Eiruv then continues behind the apartments on the north side (through the parking lots and in front of the swimming pool which is outside of the Eiruv) all the way until the intersection of the railroad tracks (south side) and Nassau Rd. (All the apartments are in the Eiruv.) It then continues up Nassau to Northern Boulevard .  Then it proceeds east on Northern Boulevard all the way to the intersection with East Shore Road where it turns north and continues until the intersection of Hicks Lane and East Shore Road where this description began. (The entire length of Northern Boulevard is outside the Eiruv, and carrying is prohibited also on all of East Shore Road.  North Shore Hospital and North Shore Hebrew Academy High School are outside the Eiruv.) 

Please note that the Long Island Railroad tracks and the Great Neck Station are considered a separate domain and are therefore not included in the Eiruv. Crossing the tracks can only be done on the several bridges constructed for that purpose.