SHOCKING: Documents Released by Jackson Township Reveal Behind the Scenes Activity During Eruv Battle [UPDATED]

Documents released by Jackson Township detail how the township council defeated the Orthodox community’s request for eruvs, and how determined residents pressuring the township eventually won their battle against the Orthodox.

The original documents were released by the township by an “anonymous” OPRA request. Shore News Network obtained a copy of that OPRA request and the documents delivered by the township to satisfy that OPRA request.

These documents are available to download in their entirety here:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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34 COMMENTS

  1. According to statements made by Jackson Officials to various media outlets, the township received many, many complaints regarding all kinds of obstructions in the right-of-way, or ROW, with no specific emphasis on eiruvin . The released emails, however, tell a completely different story. As someone who has read everyone it shows it was all about eruvs as there existed almost no other complaints…so where are the other complaints??

  2. the hatred is sickening..I quote one lady”words cant express the happiness it brings me now that the wires are truly not allowed in the ROW. I actually cried happy tears when I got the news…” sad

  3. Unbelievable how govt officials are acting in Jackson. Notice how there is barely any replies to any emails from Jewish residents. The complainers are replied to and spoken to in a nice manner. The only replies to Jewish emails and requests to sit down and talk are in sharp nasty tones and full of lies.
    For those that don’t have time to read it all,
    Firstly the code supervisor in one email in the beginning of all this clearly writes we are aware of the eruv and there is no violation! What changed?
    Another email states that after much research (and township tax dollars of wasted time) the township attorney was able to find an ordinance that can be used against the eiruv.
    Then there are no replies to requests from the township for permission for objects in the ROW, as the original ordinance had such a clause, leading them to discuss revising the ordinance to abolish that.
    Furthermore not only are there not hundreds of complaints as the Mayor claims, there is not even one complaint against a basketball in all the complaints. All the complaints were from a few residents who actually live no where near any of the new Jewish residents in Jackson.
    I hear now they are trying to get out of paying aid-in-lieu monies for transportation as another attempt to discourage Orthodox Jews from moving in.
    Thankfully no matter what they do, the Jewish community will continue to grow as most Jackson residents are glad to have them as neighbors.

  4. What people write in their emails to the Township members is irrelevant to any possible lawsuit. Its the responses that are relevant. And the responses seem fine to me, from what I’ve read so far. They were simply enforcing current law.

    If there is a lawyer out there who has a different opinion, let us know.

    • Very true! See how Kenneth Pieslak the Code enforcer responds with many thanx and detail to each comment sent to him regarding “violations” as opposed to many other letters sent which did not receive any response

  5. Please publish the emails. Providing links is good but it would be a lot better if the actual documents were published. This hatred needs to be exposed in a big way.

  6. After reviewing the posted letters supplied by Jackson Township there were only a handful of people (which wrote many letters) that were against the Eiruv in writing. On the other hand there were many more people requesting permission to build the Eiruv in their ROW while the ordinances seemed to allow it. At the time of confusion the township only responded to the ones who opposed it in apologetic terms as to why they “can not” enforce against it. They then continued to ignore the hundreds of requests and went ahead and made amendments to disallow the placement of the invisible strings. As clearly apparent from the documented responses and patronization to the obviously biased and anti semitic writers, shows the Jackson Township purposefully amending regulations to keep the Jews out of Jackson. As a fake cover up of the bias against Jews, they also disallowed hoops.

    One writer wrote many hateful letters to the township and received very respectful answers from the township.

    Quotes from Jenifer Cusanelli

    “And lastly why should I have to look at a religious structure of any
    kind on public property? As an atheist I am highly offended by this and I’m sure other atheists in town will also be. They are pushing. Testing the waters. We’re permits requested or provided? Another home listed today with a realtor. People are being pushed out and it’s not longer a matter of telling your neighbors “don’t sell”. It’s a matter of the walls closing in on residents. Would you want the home next to you to have 20 men and now woman and children frequenting it on a weekly basis? Respectfully, Jennifer Cusanelli”

    Jennifer resides at 190 Leesville Rd. and IRONICALLY, on google maps has a Jackson Strong sign in the ROW right outside her house!!

    Besides all the other letters where she hatefully stalked out Jewish neighborhoods to report non existent violations on private property, I just want to point out another letter she wrote and include some remarks to her:

    “As an atheist I will not stand for religious wires to be put up in my community.”  [Really now – does any normal American complain about religious statues’ or christmas lights placed on peoples private property]?

    “And I don’t appreciate public schools being rented out to house religious articles such as a Torah.”  [What is she talking about, where do we keep a Torah in a public school??]

    “Is there no such thing as a separation of church and state anymore.” [That’s funny you mention that]!

    “I have been fortunate enough to somehow get inside The Orthodox
    community and I could tell you that there is certainly a plan and that plan is to buy up as much as they possibly can and take Jackson. So if we don’t get on the ball and figure out a way to slow it down legally then we are dead.”  [See a psychologist]

    “I’m begging you all to please pull out the big guns and find our town a proactive law firm or perhaps hire a land/use attorney on retainer to do what needs to be done to protect us. That being said I do appreciate the efforts that are being made by council such as the landlord registration the no knock and most recently the ordinance on dormitories. But we
    are dealing with a very shrewd group and a very organized operation when it comes to the Orthodox community. baby steps just aren’t going to be enough. Respectfully, Jennifer Cusanelli”

    A few departments in the Jackson Township spent a lot of time and legal expenses responding to this obviously mentally deranged woman in writing. Additionally the department heads personally found the time to make many trips to the locations she complained about.

    Doesn’t every township receive many complaints from mentally disturbed people, why are they investing so much public funds with her?

    Why would Jackson amend regulations based on a few loud people with obvious mental and anti Semitic leanings???

  7. Seems as thought these residents were practicing their 1st Amendment Right to petition their government. I know that there are Lakewood Lobbyists in Trenton all the time to push for a state Eruv law, so why is it different for residents of Jackson to lobby their government? Additionally, this is not a new ordinance, it has been on the books since the early 1970s. Jackson planners back in the 1970s determined that new developments would require underground utilities primarily for esthetics so this might ruin the beauty of the neighborhood that people pay to have.

  8. This is all very exciting
    The lawsuit of gross discrimination amd antisemtism is going to be so large, that will be able to get shuls for all five Jewish Neighborhoods in Jackson.
    HATE HAS NO PLACE IN JACKSON

  9. Guys don’t worry about aid-in-liue monies, just heard we have a write-in candidate for the BOE who will help prevent that! Don’t forget to go out to vote.

  10. jennifer is right about torah..but its a non issue and compelty legal..ironic how residents dont seem to understand that as americans we support religous accomadation…legally courts supports eruv…why should jackson be the only town in world to know better…shame oh shame

  11. suzanne noone is lobbying trenton for a state eruv law…as we dont need to its called america and called accomadating…the courts have already said do..go study past court decisions

  12. Suzanne,
    Residents of Jackson are certainly within their rights to lobby local government to discriminate against members of a certain faith. They just cannot claim there is no discrimination when the government honors the wishes of these haters and passes laws violating the rights of members of that faith who you openly call to discriminate against.
    In other words if local citizens call for laws to explicitly discriminate and the township actually enacts such laws, the township has now violated the US constitution. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
    You should’ve just lobbied all 50 states to overturn the 1st amendment. But then you would have to admit you’re a miserable amd depressed anti-semite and would not be able to use the excuse that fishing line hurts your eyes.

  13. yid 3…wrong courts mat call those women to testify as they are ones who pushed town….plus clear here…only compains about eruv…none about hoops…helene adnits in emails its effort to rid eruvs…more info to come but boys its simple

  14. Is it true that the township is being sued next week? If so please go for it and stand up for freedom for all. This town is being pushed by a hateful group….

  15. The lies that the Jackson government have been telling have been exposed. When is the Jackson community organizing an Eruv association to file a lawsuit. Note, in Tenefly (which did not have such exposing emails), the town had to eventually cover the Eruv association’s legal costs!

  16. eisav sonie yaakov and we are in golus , a law suit is a last option, negotiations must be held before a lawsuit is filed. and most of all daas torah must be consulted

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