Brooklyn, NY – A suit filed by the New York City Commission on Human Rights, charging seven Williamsburg stores with discrimination because of their requested dress code for customers has been settled, with the stores in question agreeing to reword their requests for modesty.
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“The stores agreed to remove their current signs and not to repost them,” CCHR Deputy Commissioner/General Counsel Clifford Mulqueen told VIN News. “If they are going to post signs in their windows, they will have wording that reads ‘Modesty is appreciated, but all are welcome.’”
The seven stores named in the complaint are Friedman’s Depot, Tiv Tov Hardware, Sander’s Bakers, Lee Avenue Clothing Center, Gestetner Printing, Greenfield’s Foods and Imperial Luggage, as previously reported on VIN News. Each one of the stores, located on Lee Avenue between Williamsburg Street East and Penn Street, had signs advising customers wearing shorts, sleeveless tops, low cut necklines and bare feet that they were not allowed to enter the premises.
A statement from NYC Human Rights Commissioner Patricia L. Gatling expressed satisfaction that the updated signs would uphold the civil rights of all New Yorkers, saying that the previous signs discriminated on the basis of both gender and religion.
VIN News obtained copies of the complaints from the Commission on Human Rights, which charged the seven stores with violating Section 8-107(4) of the Administrative Code of the City of New York
The settlement comes as a relief to many.
“We got everything we wanted,” said Devorah Allon, lawyer for the seven stores. “They agreed to drop the case and we are not paying any fines.”
According to Allon it was clear from the start that there was never any discrimination intended based on either religion or gender, something that will be spelled out on the new signs.
“No one has ever been denied service and we will make it clear that everyone is welcome in the stores, expressing something that has been implicit all along,” said Allon.
“We are gratified that these hardworking people don’t have to be busy how and if they will have the money to pay the hefty fines and penalties, worsening their ability to put bread on their table to feed their families,” said Rabbi David Niederman, executive director and president of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg.
“We are elated, hodu LaHashem,” said one employee at Gestetner Printing, after hearing the results of today’s settlement.
A press release sent out by Councilman David Greenfield called the lawsuit “unfair and unnecessary,” saying “this was clearly another example of local government overstepping its authority and unfairly targeting the Orthodox community. I am very relieved that the merchants and the city were able to settle this matter without resorting to a trial.”
Gary Schlesinger Executive Board Chairman of United Jewish Community Advocacy Relations and Enrichment (UJCare) said: This lawsuit by the NYC Human Rights Commission singled out the Orthodox Jewish Community for its Modesty practices, Modesty helps enhance family values and quality of life and its a shame that the commission went this far to suppress our way of life so I am glad it’s over!
“While we believe that the signs, which simply requested that customers respect the community’s values with regard to dress, were entirely legal,” said Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Agudath Israel executive vice president, “we are happy that the issue here is closed.”
While Agudath Israel welcomed the news, Rabbi Zwiebel also expressed his view that “the case should never have been brought in the first place,” and that “the Commission’s pursuit of the Williamsburg store owners raised serious concerns of selective prosecution.” He praised the de Blasio administration for “apparently realizing that disturbing aspect of this suit, its lack of legal merit, and the need for reason and good will here.”
why can 711 say ”no shirt, no shoes, no service”, but not these stores?
What about stores with signs saying “no shirt, no shoes, no service”? Will they have to reword their signs as well?
So in the end stores cannot impose a dress code?
It’s a shot across our bow. Religious Jews are welcome in NY but only if we lay low.
Simple solution. Its what I recommended yesterday in my VIN post, and I’m not a lawyer… Asking folks to respect modesty guidelines is much different than threatening them to abide by rules they don’t understand, and by U.S./NY law are illegal.
For a very long time, fancy restaurants required men to wear a jacket. No shorts or shirtsleeves were allowed. So, I don’t see why the Williamsburg stores cannot request the same type of respect. If a man came to eat in the restaurant, and didn’t have the required jacket, they would give him one while he ate dinner.
Maybe, these stores could offer their customers scarves or something to cover up while shopping. You would have to do this in a pleasant manner. You could not scream “pritzus” at them;)
How was this ever discrimination?
Y’all come on down to Texas, just vote Republican and expect to work!
That’s ridiculous! It’s a private store. If you are dressed like a shiksa, stay out
Do they have a problem with no shoes, no shirts, no service?
Communities amd people who voted for liberals, who are working to downgrade the moral values of our society, just because they keep on churning out one benefit program after another will pay by having their own morals values trampled upon.
Next time when the mosdos of your child sends home a note whom to vote for, do not mindlessly hit the voting lever. Regardless of who you were commanded, er told to vote for, know that as a frum Jew we need to do OUR PART by not voting for those who advance pritzus, otherwise we AND OUR KIDS will be the ones to pay in the end.
We have the habit of moving into a community and when we become a majority, we forcefully impose our ways on others. Maybe if we tried to INFLUENCE rather than coerce, we would be more effective and less detested. It’s not anti semitism, it’s the bullying.
it should have gone to court – this is ridiculous – it’s not like it says a woman has to wear a skirt and tights and cover her hair etc, it doesn’t differentiate between men and women, Jews and gentiles, etc. it is a dress code – they shouldn’t have settled – this is America
I think me and some friends are going to go to certain outlets that require shirts and or jackets and start up a case. It’s time we Orthodox Jews fight back. All places including courts should allow everything goes. That goes for upscale resteraunts as well as other such places.
I still don’t get it why eateries are exempt from posting signs “everybody welcome”
i think we should start going to the North of Wmsbg. with wolene talis kuten and lange pyes and browse , arupgebindene tichlech and browse around in their stores and you will find out how welcome we gonna be there….they know quiet well that they have no problem abiding to our custom and religion..just a few anti semitin who wanted to cause a stir up
You people don’t see the difference between ‘no shirt’ and ‘no sleeveless’ or ‘no low cut neckline’? Or between ‘no shoes’ and ‘no barefoot’? Pitiful.
Phew!!! Now that we got rid of this great terrible crime, its time for NYC to focus on petty crime like murder, etc….
What if you’re not Jewish? Or what if I’m Jewish and dressed in a T shirt and shorts just passing by?
How much was the Judge paid to allow this to pass?
Just take your coat off a little slower.
It sets a Bad precedent by settling.
Historically, dress codes have been common place in society and continue to be so. This lawsuit was ill conceived from the outset – illogically promoting the rights of the shopper to dress as they wish while ignoring the rights of the business owner to determine the environment in which they conduct their business. In a time when Government is readily prepared to (attempt to) dictate the size of sodas we consume on the basis of they know what is in the best interests of the community, it is unbelievable they could waste valuable time and money disputing the right of business owners to determine what they know is in their best interests!!
I’d rather be in deep snow with D’blasio then in deep manure with Bloomberg
A woman I know once told that her father owned a store in which a woman came in, not properly dressed ( maybe a bathing suit). Her father promptly told the lady he had an emergency and had to close the store, and did so. Now that is true frumkeit, and this daughter is an amazing person, too, full of chesed.
Why should an orthodox male Jew have to remove his hat when they appear in court and many other places. However, they wear a hat in kosher restaurants, at home, in schul etc.
By, the way women can wear hats in court.
Lets see if the New York City Commission on Human Rights will do something about that.