‘Hidden’ Wire Around Dallas, Texas You’ve Never Noticed

If you're a frequent visitor to Dallas, Texas, or even if you live there, there's a 'hidden' wire approximately 60 square miles long that runs around a large part of the city you've probably never noticed. What is it?

Hidden Wire Around Dallas, Texas You've Never Noticed

The wire around Dallas, Texas seemingly has remained largely unnoticed since it was put up in 2001.

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 60 square mile wire, and what it is for?

Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, is observed every week, starting at sunset on Friday evening and ending after nightfall on Saturday.

One of the key rules of Shabbat involves a prohibition that can be challenging to navigate: no carrying personal items from a private domain to a public one.

This means that during Shabbat, those observing are unable to take items like wallets, purses, cell phones, or car keys outside their homes. Even pushing a stroller is not allowed.

This is where the eruv plays a crucial role.

Eruv Wire Of Dallas, Texas

The wire surrounding parts of Dallas, Texas is known as an eruv, a concept rooted in Jewish religious practice, particularly related to Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath.

According to Wikipedia.com -

"An eruv allows Jews to carry, among other things, house keys, tissues, medication, or babies with them, and to use strollers and canes – all of which are otherwise forbidden from being carried outside one's home during Shabbat, in the absence of an eruv.

An eruv effectively creates a symbolic boundary that mimics the enclosure of a walled city."

The 60 square mile long wire in Dallas serves as an extension of the Jewish community’s private spaces, allowing them to carry personal items and travel outside their homes during Shabbat, as long as they remain within the eruv’s boundaries.

Below is the Dallas, Texas eruv map.

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