Orange County, NY – Report: Toldos Aharon Rebbe Orders a Withdrawal of Claims In KJ Case

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    The letter sent to attorney Michael Sussman of withdrawing plaintiffs Congregation TA of KJ, Inc. and Congregation TA’s president Samuel Eisenberg.Orange County, NY – The lawsuit that attorney Michael Sussman filed on June 13 against the village of Kiryas Joel on behalf of some dissidents may be unraveling.

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    Some of the named plaintiffs have announced that they are withdrawing from the lawsuit which alleges unequal treatment in law enforcement, tax exemptions, elections, and other areas.

    A similar case was brought in 1997 to try to get the village of Kiryas Joel dissolved. A federal judge threw out that lawsuit. The dismissal was later affirmed by an appeals panel.

    The Second Circuit Court of Appeals’ judges wrote in its decision that the claims didn’t “establish the sort of pervasive and otherwise irremediable
    entanglement between church and state that would justify a drastic remedy like the dissolution of the village.” But they added: “All this is not to say that a series of future actions evincing an enduring and all-encompassing domination of the Village government by the Congregation could not at some point suffice to create a new cause of action for the dissolution of the village.”

    This gave an opening to bring a new lawsuit last week. However, a few short days after filing this lawsuit with great fanfare, two of the plaintiffs formally announced that they are withdrawing their claims. The two withdrawing plaintiffs are Congregation TA of KJ, Inc. and Congregation TA’s president Samuel Eisenberg.

    Congregation TA is a Toldos Aharon affiliated religious corporation, which operates a shteibel in Kiryas Joel. When the Toldos Aharon Rebbe learned that a congregation associated with his movement had unwittingly joined a lawsuit against Kiryas Joel, the Rebbe was adamant that it withdraw from the suit forthwith.

    Rav Aharon Samet, one of the Toldos Aharon Rebbe’s aides told Ami: “The Rebbe is a pious, peace loving person who would never violate a single ruling of the Shulchan Aruch. It disturbed him to no end that in violation of halacha one of his shtieblech somehow got entangled in a federal lawsuit against a Chassidic village. The Rebbe made it known that under no circumstances will he ever allow one of his congregations to be a named plaintiff in the KJ lawsuit. ‘If anyone has any grievances,’ the Rebbe said, ‘then they should seek to resolve them in a din Torah.’

    When someone suggested to the Rebbe that he merely issue a statement dissociating his own name from the litigation, the Rebbe rejected that proposal entirely. He made it unequivocally clear that the claims should be withdrawn without any delay. A day later they were.”


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    12 Comments
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    DosIzNeias
    DosIzNeias
    12 years ago

    Kudos to a man with integrity. I always admired the Toldos Aharon Rebbe

    12 years ago

    Sussman will now file a lawsuit against Toldos Aron Rebbe that he is brainwashing his followers…

    Reb Yid
    Reb Yid
    12 years ago

    I’m guessing he doesn’t write many letters in the English language.

    12 years ago

    The problem is that the underlying injustices cannot be remedied in a Din Torah. Once again the perpetrators of injustice are being protected by this reluctance to go to court.

    bigwheeel
    bigwheeel
    12 years ago

    This action (the unequivocal withdrawing of the lawsuit) by the Toldos Aharon Rebbe (שליט”א) shows that he is a person of integrity. He doesn’t hedge his bets. Doesn’t “Hem” or “Haw” , or plead ignorance as some other “Holy” person does in spite of some perceived or real grievances.
    p.s.: Attorney Sussman better start handling some real cases because the ones he’s presently handling don’t pay the rent or buy Challos and fish for Shabbos. There’s no money in them, besides having your name all over the media.

    jaayy
    jaayy
    12 years ago

    Yes # 3 is right. And Sussmen may file against you another case ………

    MENYC
    MENYC
    12 years ago

    This Ami article is misinformed.
    This case was NOT against Shulchan Aruch, as they did go a Din Torah first, but the village representatives did not show up. After 3 summonses (hazmuna’s) and a warning (siruv) the Bes din gave permission to go to a court of law.

    Kanoi
    Kanoi
    12 years ago

    He’s a real erleche yid

    KJ-Fellow
    KJ-Fellow
    12 years ago

    Typical Ami, ignoring the facts and the real issues… Sticking up for some PR dollars (always covering bits and pieces of ONE side of the story)…