Rockland County, NY – The recent debate about the implications of a recently installed eruv in several towns in northern New Jersey has created a firestorm of buzz, with area residents finding themselves faced with accusations of anti-Semitism as they attempt to navigate uncharted waters.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Packed town hall meetings have had residents voicing a maelstrom of opinions, with some concerned about maintaining the quality of life that they have become accustomed to, while others have explicitly stated that they don’t want to become “the next East Ramapo.” But according to an editorial in Sunday’s Rockland Journal News (http://lohud.us/2hW76Yz), it is not the eruv that caused the problems that now plague Ramapo but rather a lack of leadership and overdevelopment.
Protecting the townships that straddle the New York/New Jersey border, including Mahwah, Upper Saddle River and just to the south, Ramsey, is relatively straightforward, according to The Journal News: make sure that zoning regulations prevent overdevelopment and strictly enforce building codes so that “it isn’t worth the price of seeking forgiveness rather than asking permission,” a common practice in the Town of Ramapo.
While The Journal News faults the Orthodox and Chasidic communities for not doing enough to foster “community spirit and understanding” among its neighbors, it notes that it is developers, not the average resident who have profited most from overdevelopment. Elected and town officials who misused their position to further their own agendas also bear responsibility for the many problems that plague Ramapo, not the eruv which was constructed several decades ago, explains The Journal News.
The editorial advises concerned North Jersey residents not to be concerned that the eruv will bring with it waves of residents who will wreak havoc in their suburban lifestyle but rather a different entity subpar leaders who neglect their responsibilities to the electorate by allowing overbuilding that taxes the local infrastructure.
“That’s what creates a Ramapo,” concludes The Journal News. “Not some piping and some wire on utility poles.”
Over development , what is going on here in manhattan with 40-70 storied apartment developments coming up all over with no new mas transportation happening.The streets are beyond crowding now, yet more and more of these mega buildings are on the plans.
I can’t believe I am saying this but I agree in with the Journal News. I have lived in Monsey for the past thirty years. B’H I live in Wesley Hills where the strict zoning laws have kept the area beautiful and not congested.
This is not Israel we are in Galuth “NO NEED TO UPSET PEOPLE TAKE THE ERUV DOWN”
Over development combined with corruption.
Politicians who are afraid to antagonize the many who inhabit these developments.
It’s why Monsey has changed from a beautiful place to live into a place where so many are running away from. It’s why Lakewood is having so many problems and neighboring towns don’t want the Jews to move in.