If you're a frequent visitor to New Orleans, or even if you live there, there's a 'hidden' wire approximately 15 miles long that runs around a large part of the city you've probably never noticed. What is it?

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Hidden Wire Around New Orleans You've Never Noticed

The wire around New Orleans seemingly has remained largely unnoticed since it was put up in 2021.

Is it a secret Government listening device? Is it some sort of exercise device for squirrels? Is it to help birds from getting electrocuted by electric lines?

The answer is no to all three of those questions.

OK, so what the heck is this 15-mile-long wire, and what it is for?

Ricardo Gomez Angel Via Unsplash
Ricardo Gomez Angel Via Unsplash
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The Jewish Shabbat is observed every week beginning at sunset on Friday evening and ending after dark on Saturday evening.

On Saturdays during Shabbat, there's a tricky rule that must be observed.

No carrying any personal items of any kind from a domestic area to a public area.

This means if you're Jewish, during Shabbat you can't leave your house and bring your wallet, purse, cell phone, or car keys...not even pushing your kids in a stroller is permitted.

This is where the eruv comes into play.

Eruv New Orleans

The wire around New Orleans is what's called an eruv and has to do with the Jewish religion, and more specifically Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath.

From crescentcityjewishnews.com -

"An eruv, an enclosure that extends the private domain of Jewish households into public areas, has been constructed and has been approved by city officials and certified as kosher for its first Shabbat.

An eruv essentially establishes specific boundaries that spiritually serve to mimic a walled city."

The 15-mile-long wire serves as an extension of the homes of New Orleans' Jewish community.

The eruv allows them to travel outside of their homes and carry personal items with them, so long as they are inside of the eruv wire and boundaries.

New Orleans Eruv Map

Below is the eruv map in New Orleans from the New Orleans Eruv Facebook page.

Next time you're in New Orleans, check the eruv map above and see if you can spot it.

Below is a fantastic video from The Why Files YouTube channel explaining the eruv in a really fun way.

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Gallery Credit: Nicole Caldwell & Matt Albasi

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