New Jersey Borough Discriminated Against Chabad Congregation: Lawsuit
[JTA] – The federal government is suing a New Jersey borough over allegations that it improperly restricted an Orthodox Jewish congregation from expanding its house of worship.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil lawsuit against Woodcliff Lake, a Bergen County suburb about 20 miles northwest of New York City.
As reported by NorthJersey.com, the congregation, Valley Chabad operated a 3,194-square-foot building on a 1.27-acre site since 1998, often holding events off-site, as it claimed the site did not meet its needs.
The congregation attempted to relocate at least three times since 2005, but could not because of action by the borough council or its members.
In 2014, the congregation applied to the borough zoning board to raze its building and replace it one nearly six times larger. The board held 18 hearings, eventually suggesting six alternative properties, before denying the application, causing Valley Chabad to lose money, according to the lawsuit.
An attorney for Woodcliff Lake disputed the claims.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30