Agudath Israel of America and WR Property, a property owner in Jackson, have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New Jersey against the Township of Jackson, New Jersey, challenging new Jackson zoning regulations, asserting that they are intended to prevent Orthodox Jews from opening schools or dormitories in Jackson. The suit alleges that the regulations were enacted with the express purpose of such anti-Orthodox discrimination, and are in clear violation of Federal law.
The ordinances that are being challenged in Federal court were passed this March by the Town Council of Jackson, which borders Lakewood, in an area where many Orthodox Jews live. The lawsuit contends that the regulations were clearly motivated by a desire to prevent Orthodox Jews from moving to Jackson, and “by discriminatory animus against the Orthodox Jewish community.”
The suit cites a number of examples of such animus, expressed by public officials and by vocal segments of the public. Last year former Township Council President Rob Nixon called an Agudath Israel leader’s suggestion that Orthodox Jews consider Jackson as a place to live “reprehensible.” Nixon went so far as to file a complaint against the Agudath Israel leader with the U.S. Justice Department and the New Jersey Attorney General’s office, both of which saw no merit to Nixon’s complaint.
Other allegations in the Complaint include recitations of statements made by local residents at Township meetings and in online forums, such as “All of your problems only stem from the Ultra-Religious! The Hasidics and Ultra-Orthodox!”
Citing these and numerous other examples of anti-Orthodox animus in recent years, and particularly surrounding the enactment of the no school and the no dormitory ordinances in Jackson, the Agudath Israel and WR Property lawsuit alleges violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection, Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses and Freedom of Association principles; four clauses of the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000; the Fair Housing Act; and New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination.
The suit seeks a judgment holding the township’s ordinances unconstitutional and illegal, and their annulment, as well as attorneys’ fees and nominal damages.
According to Rabbi Avi Schnall, Agudath Israel’s New Jersey Office director, “Orthodox Jews, like any other person, have the basic right, protected by federal law, to live where they please. Local laws intended to keep people out of an area or Township based on religion or ethnicity violate Federal law Orthodox Jews have the right to open schools, build houses of worship, and develop businesses, just like any other group, and this essential value of freedom of religion, on which America was founded, is being denied.”
The plaintiffs are represented by Storzer & Associates, a law firm that has vast experience in representing religious communities’ interests in land use disputes, and with whom Agudath Israel has worked over the past few years.
Thank you to the Agudah for standing up for all of us in Jackson!
Not cool. Not cool. We are in golus. Please learn from history.
+1
I agree with Pride Rite 100%
Thank you!
To pride rite,
What exactly do you think is cool: having no dorms for schools, or having no schools, no legal shuls?
Are we limited to unlawful assemblies when we want to daven or have kiddush on Shabbos?
What are we back in the Soviet Union?
Vote in friendly council members in Jackson..
Its practically impossible to have a legal Shul in Jackson.
Why are you not publishing my comment? Its a valid point and not out of line at all..
well,Good morning
It happens to me all the time.
Yasher koach to Aguda for helping yiddin stand up to these people.
Pride rite, this galus comment of yours is insane. Based on your lack of logic, we should allow the goyim to excrement all over us and not use the laws of this medina shel chesed to our advantage. Like I said, insane.
What a bunch of morons. They knew this was coming but so blinded by their hatred they just couldn’t help themselves.
GOLUS ever heard of that??? wake up and smell the coffe!!!!
Here we go. And the fun begins.
as someone who spoke to someone connected its bad news when will jackson treat us with respecet and stop being afraid of their shadow and anti semites who came out last night we want to get along but they wont even talk to us what choisedo we have….mayor reinna you are a good person stand up and lead
I think under normal circumstances had us Jackson residents just waited 5 years and been good neighbors we could have worked out building shuls etc in a quiet diplomatic manner, perhaps on a case by case basis in each neighborhood (in my neighborhood the non jewish neighbors know we daven in a basement but don’t care, they even told a new guy who moved in that there’s a synagogue on the next block). But the township went ahead and passed an obvious anti-semitic ordinance so soon after jews starting moving we are left with no choice but to fight back.
I agree with’not a Lakewood fan’ accept for the fact that I am a Lakewood fan. Anti semitism should not be tolerated. Not on any scale. As American citizens of this country we have legal rights that should NOT and will NOT be trampled on.
There are so many issues of greater import than this..
We need a good mayor in Jackson to lead with responsible building and freedom of religion. The average Jackson residents are great people.
I think the Township should enact an ordinance that every minyan needs hot kugal after shabbos shacharis period.
I can’t believe that you allow a reply to be posted that uses the word goyim. I find the use of that word to be highly offensive as well as bigoted. Please think before allowing words that are clearly hostile and demeaning to your non Jewish friends to be posted. Thank you for your goodness in posting this as some Jewish people in the community may not realize how offensive a word it is.
M Lin, While you are certainly correct that caution should be implemented when referring to others, please note that the word Goy is by no means an intrinsically demeaning word. Its literal meaning is ‘nation’ and is just used to refer to other nations other than Jews,so essentially its like saying ‘non Jews’. In general context it should not be taken in a demeaning manor.
Jews are also referred to as a “goy” in the bible. It just means “nation.” Although the man on the street may perceive it to be pejorative term and as a result I’d agree that the moderators should be sentitive to that.
Fake news
Thank you Agudah! Jackson township is forcing the issue. They tried to be cute saying its not targeting the Jewish community. Sure! While I can sympathize with longtime residents who see their demographic and neighborhoods changing, we still live in a country of law and order that outlaws discrimination and bigotry. You let this go and they’ll become even more audacious and brazen. Don’t give ’em an inch!
Maybe Jackson doesn’t want to become another Lakewood!
Look at all the over crowding on the roads, the failing Public Schools and high taxes.
Goyim means nations and is not a negative word, just like the word Jew is not negative. Don’t be ridiculous.
so is the township going to finally wake up and realize that orhodox are here and talk to you guys or continue to waste time and money on nothing…..MAYOR AND COUNCIL PLEASE TALK TO THEM