JACKSON - Orthodox Jews will be allowed to construct an eruv on public utility poles, under terms of an "interim settlement" with an advocacy group that puts a religious discrimination lawsuit against the township on hold as the two sides enter mediation.

The Township Council meets at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at town hall on West Veterans Highway and is scheduled to approve a "interim settlement"resolution that would reverse a 2-month-old decision to effectively ban construction of eruvin, called for in a lawsuit filed by Agudath Israel, an Orthodox Jewish advocacy group that accused the township of anti-Semitism.

The original lawsuit – filed after the council voted to ban the construction of schools and dormitories – will be placed in a standstill as both sides enter mediation. But the goal remains the same, Agudath Israel state director Avi Schnall said.

“We commend them, but there’s a lot in this lawsuit. We still hope to have a school built one day," Schnall said. "It's a favorable gesture on their part, to show they're taking the mediation seriously."

To the naked eye, an eruv is simply a wire, usually strung between multiple utility poles that have strips of plastic piping attached to it. In Jewish law, this "eruv" extends the boundaries of the home to the surrounding area – which allows Orthodox Jews to carry everything from keys to children.

Without eruvin or lechis – the strips of plastic, which represent a door – practicing Jews can only carry such objects within the home itself on the Sabbath and certain holidays.

Eruvin already exist in Jewish neighborhoods of Lakewood, Deal, Long Branch and the North Dover area of Toms River, as well as most major cities in the United States.

For Jackson's growing Orthodox Jewish community – estimated to include more than 500 families – permitting the eruv means official approval, provided the utility companies have given their OK.

That shouldn't be a problem, Jackson Eruv Association President Mordechai Burnstein said. Jersey Central Power & Light gave its consent over the summer, and Verizon's approval always was contingent on township approval.

“Our goal was to have an eruv. If this gets us an eruv without going to court, we’re all for it,” Burnstein said.

RELATED: Jackson eruv ban motivated by anti-Semitism, lawsuit says

Nonetheless, they have been a hot-button issue in towns with growing Orthodox Jewisih populations. The issue famously came to a head in Mahwah, where officials have made similar attempts to block eruv construction.

The state Attorney General's Office filed suit against Mahwah in October, and Attorney General Christopher Porrino issued a stern warning to other towns making such gestures.

"Our message to local officials in other towns who may be plotting to engage in similar attempts to illegally exclude, is the same: We will hold you accountable as well," Porrino said at the time.

MORE: Attorney General sues Mahwah over eruv fight

The resolution to be voted on by Jackson council members specifically notes "exorbitant amounts of legal fees" as a reason for the settlement.

In Jackson, the eruv battle began when the township began enforcing a previously forgotten law that prohibited any objects in the public right-of-way lawn, including basketball hoops, hockey nets and eruvin hung from public utility poles.

RELATED: Jackson eruv plans derailed

The right-of-way law used to allowed residents to ask permission for "obstructions" on a case-by-case basis. In September, the Township Council removed that avenue, stopping the Jackson Eruv Association in its tracks.

Within weeks, Agudath Israel attorneys filed suit, decrying the move as thinly veiled anti-Semitism, infringing on the free speech rights of Orthodox Jews living in the township.

Over the last two years, tensions have grown in Jackson as its Orthodox Jewish community continues to grow, with discussions often boiling over into screaming matches, largely at public meetings and on social media.

June 2014: The Zoning Board rejected plans for an all-girls' Orthodox high school. A state judge upheld the rejection last year.

The Zoning Board rejected plans for an all-girls' Orthodox high school. A state judge upheld the rejection last year. August 2015: The council strengthened its "no-knock" ordinance after residents complained of aggressive real estate solicitors — identified as Orthodox Jews — who wouldn't take no for an answer.

The council strengthened its "no-knock" ordinance after residents complained of aggressive real estate solicitors — identified as Orthodox Jews — who wouldn't take no for an answer. May 2016: Township officials demanded the police department instruct the Lakewood Civilian Safety Watch — a volunteer neighborhood patrol — to stay out of Jackson. When Police Chief Matthew Kunz demurred, it led to a public spat with Councilman Rob Nixon.

Township officials demanded the police department instruct the Lakewood Civilian Safety Watch — a volunteer neighborhood patrol — to stay out of Jackson. When Police Chief Matthew Kunz demurred, it led to a public spat with Councilman Rob Nixon. August 2016: The township filed a blockbusting complaint with the state and federal Justice Departments after video of a rabbi calling on Orthodox Jews to be "shtickle pioneers" and settle in Jackson went viral within the community.

Attorneys representing Jackson Township did not return calls seeking comment.

Mike Davis; @byMikeDavis: 732-643-4223; mdavis@gannettnj.com