In Jewish neighborhoods there are these green poles that have wire or string going around there yards.?

Question

Why???

Answer 1

What you are seeing is part of an "eruv"; it's a symbolic fence that defines a dwelling. The reason that this is important is that on the Sabbath, according to Jewish law, all forms of work are prohibited, including carrying objects. However, a person MAY carry objects within his own dwelling. To symbolically extend the dwelling, the eruv is is erected; it may include the property of a single individual, or an entire community. This facilitates the observance of Sabbath by lessening the occurrence of undue hardship that would result from being unable to carry things. Hardship would lessen the joy of the Sabbath, and that is counter to its purpose. The eruv allows the Jewish community to more fully enjoy the Sabbath. Most Jewish communities that erect an eruv have a web site these days, to allow individuals to determine the status of the eruv (for instance, if one of the lines is down, the eruv is not intact, and carrying items would not be allowed). I've included a link to the Seattle "frum" (or "orthodox") site which has a map and status of the eruv in that city; there are many others.

Answer 2

Hope you get an actual Jewish person to give an official answer, but what you're talking about may be something that I've heard of (explained to me by an actual Jewish person):

On the Sabbath, Jews are not permitted to do certain things (depending on which branch of the religion they practice, and how observant they are). Some can not drive or operate machines (such as televisions) on the Sabbath.

There are also certain things they can do in their homes, but not outside their homes on the Sabbath. This is where the wire or string around their yards comes in. So long as they are inside that wire, they are considered to be inside their homes, and therefore are not restricted from doing those certain things.

In the town where I live, I was told that there is such a wire surrounding a large part of the town (including the part with a heavy Jewish population). They are allowed to range throughout those many blocks (or square miles) without observing the restrictions on outdoor activities that would otherwise apply on the Sabbath.

Either that or I didn't understand the official explanation I was given.

Answer 3

the reason is because on sabbath you are not allowed to carry on less you're in private property therefore when you put up the poles with the strings you show that this is a private property and im allowed to carry in it