Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Goshen wants to change law
The law before the Goshen Village Board names no religious group. But it was clear to both sides that packed Village Hall last night: They came to talk about the Chabad of Orange County.
The group of Orthodox Jews, led by Rabbi Meir Borenstein, violated local zoning laws last year by operating a religious school and prayer center in a business district storefront. Now, the group sits at the center of a debate over how to balance religious tolerance with community identity.
In response to the Chabad and a similar petition from four of the village's five Christian churches, the village wants to amend its zoning law to allow religious groups to set roots or expand in downtown business zones.
Village leaders say the change is needed to conform with a 2000 federal law that prevents local zoning from infringing on Americans' right to worship.
Several speakers last night said they were worried that allowing more religious organizations on Main Street would open the historic village's fragile business district to a wave of nonprofits.
"It's not an anti-Jewish thing why we're here - I'm Jewish!" Goshen resident Harold Seidenberg said. "I'm here because you're changing the village. You're establishing a precedent by doing it and I suggest you shouldn't do it."
The Chabad also had supporters among the crowd of 80, which Mayor Scott Wohl said was the largest since the village considered drilling a public well in the pesticide-ridden Black Dirt farm region. Chabad supporters made their case on constitutional grounds.
"We want to establish a new place of worship," Phyllis Nathan of Monroe said. "We don't want to be singled out. We don't want anything to be denied to any specific group. We feel that's against the Constitution and against the Pledge of Allegiance we just recited."
After more than an hour of comments, the Village Board closed the public hearing and agreed to take up the issue again April 10 at a larger venue. Wohl said the board stood firm in its intent to make local zoning comply with federal law.
"The law is crystal clear," Wohl said. "This is not an issue where the Village of Goshen has a choice."
http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2006/03/28/news-bshearing-03-28.html
The law before the Goshen Village Board names no religious group. But it was clear to both sides that packed Village Hall last night: They came to talk about the Chabad of Orange County.
The group of Orthodox Jews, led by Rabbi Meir Borenstein, violated local zoning laws last year by operating a religious school and prayer center in a business district storefront. Now, the group sits at the center of a debate over how to balance religious tolerance with community identity.
In response to the Chabad and a similar petition from four of the village's five Christian churches, the village wants to amend its zoning law to allow religious groups to set roots or expand in downtown business zones.
Village leaders say the change is needed to conform with a 2000 federal law that prevents local zoning from infringing on Americans' right to worship.
Several speakers last night said they were worried that allowing more religious organizations on Main Street would open the historic village's fragile business district to a wave of nonprofits.
"It's not an anti-Jewish thing why we're here - I'm Jewish!" Goshen resident Harold Seidenberg said. "I'm here because you're changing the village. You're establishing a precedent by doing it and I suggest you shouldn't do it."
The Chabad also had supporters among the crowd of 80, which Mayor Scott Wohl said was the largest since the village considered drilling a public well in the pesticide-ridden Black Dirt farm region. Chabad supporters made their case on constitutional grounds.
"We want to establish a new place of worship," Phyllis Nathan of Monroe said. "We don't want to be singled out. We don't want anything to be denied to any specific group. We feel that's against the Constitution and against the Pledge of Allegiance we just recited."
After more than an hour of comments, the Village Board closed the public hearing and agreed to take up the issue again April 10 at a larger venue. Wohl said the board stood firm in its intent to make local zoning comply with federal law.
"The law is crystal clear," Wohl said. "This is not an issue where the Village of Goshen has a choice."
http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2006/03/28/news-bshearing-03-28.html
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: March 29, 2006 8:45 AM
: March 29, 2006 8:45 AM
