Lakewood, NJ – Lakewood Jewish Residents Upset When Town Removes Menorah, Keeps Tree

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    An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man lights a candle on the first night of the holiday of Hanukkah in the southern city of Ashdod December 6, 2015. REUTERS/Amir Lakewood, NJ – Some residents of a Jewish enclave in New Jersey are upset that officials removed a menorah from the town square and kept the Christmas tree.

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    Lakewood has displayed a decorated tree and small menorah for decades.

    Mayor Albert Akerman told the Asbury Park Press (http://on.app.com/1SQe5Kc ) on Wednesday that this year resident Vivian Knight sought to add a nativity scene to the holiday display in the Town Square and that she threatened to sue if the request wasn’t approved.

    “She wanted to make the distinction that the menorah is a religious symbol and the tree is not,” Akerman said.

    Knight could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

    Township Attorney Steven Secare reviewed the matter and recommended removing the menorah, as well as one displayed in the town hall, until he could look into an alternative display.

    “Why cause litigation when it’s costly and time-consuming for everybody?” Secare said Wednesday. “The easiest thing to do was take it down for a year.”

    The tree remains up because it is not considered a religious symbol under the law.

    A Jewish businessman who owns a toy store and frozen yogurt shop in the township, however, said the decision leaves the township promoting Christianity. It makes no sense that a menorah is a problem in Lakewood “of all places,” Harold Herskowitz said.

    “The way it was set up in Town Square was fine. The fact that we’re this Jewish town and have this massive Christmas tree and there’s this little teeny menorah is a little weird, but it’s fine. I was never going to say a word.”

    Now, Herskowitz said the community will call for an even bigger menorah next year.

    “There should be a 30-foot menorah on Town Square,” he said. “It’s ridiculous.”

    ___

    Information from: Asbury Park (N.J.) Press, http://www.app.com


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    26 Comments
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    thetruthis
    thetruthis
    8 years ago

    Big deal. Who cares? Nobody is imposing a religion on us and we don’t need a menorah at town hall. As long as they’re still allowing Lakewood residents to light menorahs in their homes we should be thankful and move on.

    puppydogs
    puppydogs
    8 years ago

    New Jersey is a blue bleeding liberal state…what did you expect?

    Mark Levin
    Mark Levin
    8 years ago

    It’s called a XMAS TREE for gosh sakes. Why are politicians so stupid not understand that the reason it’s called this type of tree is because that’s what it is and that is a religious holiday? I believe that if that’s the way they want to play the game, the Jewish organizations should sue and have the tree removed as well! Enough of this garbage!

    LionofZion
    LionofZion
    8 years ago

    I passed by the other day and everybody seems to be getting along alright without the Menorah. The bagel store across the street looked very busy and has a great “decorate your own donut” table which is great.

    bennyt
    bennyt
    8 years ago

    That’s some law that doesn’t consider an X-mas tree a religious symbol. If that’s the case, why do they only display it during the X-mas season? Answer: because it’s an X-mas tree which IS a religious symbol.

    CEDARHURST
    CEDARHURST
    8 years ago

    pardon me but why not have all religious symobls disallowed from all governemnt buildings – do wee need a chanukah lighting in the white house or a mock passover seder –
    dump it al ; save the money and this should be the fair standard from the whitehouse to the capitol and every city hall, fire depatment etc –
    everything

    puppydogs
    puppydogs
    8 years ago

    “She wanted to make the distinction that the menorah is a religious symbol and the tree is not”

    A menorah is not a religious symbol, even non religious people light the menorah.

    JoeField1
    JoeField1
    8 years ago

    I think the solution would be to hang a photo of the Rebbe on the tree.

    samklein30
    samklein30
    8 years ago

    they are not so bright for removing the menorah.

    the monerah is brighter than the xmas tree.

    sissel613
    sissel613
    8 years ago

    I think everyone should light one on his/her lawn…. stupid stuff. I grew up in Lakewood —oh so many years ago when it still had horses and buggies and hotels on every corner–There was a tree on a platform in the lake. Who cared? We didn’t even blink. If the community shows it doesn’t give a darn, the hooplala will die down and she will look like the fool she is. A freilechen Chanukah. happy Chanukah and Chag Urim Sameach!!!!!!!

    shvigger
    shvigger
    8 years ago

    A menorah next to an xmas tree is a huge chilul Hashem.

    Texas_Joe
    Texas_Joe
    8 years ago

    The tree is not considered a religious symbol because the concept of bringing a tree into the home to celebrate the turn from the winter solstice predates Christianity, reaching back to the pagan celebration that likely finds it roots in Adam HaRishon’s celebration when he saw the days begin to get longer again. Since that pagan post-solstice holiday is no longer celebrated as a religious holiday, the concept of the tree per se could be viewed as secular. However, the custom was originally to use an oak tree and was replaced with an evergreen by Christians because of its triangular shape, to symbolize their newfound belief in the trinity. Hence it is a religious symbol. But as Jews in America I have no idea what we stand to gain by attempting to take down or preventing to set up religious symbols used by the goyim.

    8 years ago

    The U.S. Supreme Court, in the 1980’s ruled that the Christmas tree is a secular symbol. Of course, we know don’t agree with that decision, but legally (until it is changed), that is the law. I really can’t understand the hoopla, pertaining to having a Menorah in public at the city hall. As long as we have freedom of religion to light the Chanukah Menorah in our own homes, that is what is important. I could care less whether or not a Menorah is lit at a hockey game, for all of the goyim to see, or whether it is lit anywhere else in public.

    Chaim_Shapiro
    Chaim_Shapiro
    8 years ago

    THIS is a dangerous comment by Herskowitz:

    “The fact that we’re this Jewish town and have this massive Christmas tree and there’s this little teeny menorah is a little weird”

    Lakewood is a Jewish town?????

    lazerx
    lazerx
    8 years ago

    good, good…

    Next step realize that even if you are in a place with a high Orthodox Jewish population, you are still in golus.

    Next step: consider coming to Eretz Yisroel and living inside and outside like a Jew…

    Greener
    Greener
    8 years ago

    The real question is whether the Xmas tree has straight branches or curved branches. Being far from Xwood I cannot check up on this. Could someone tell me?

    Trolly_McTrollerston
    Trolly_McTrollerston
    8 years ago

    To all of you who think that writing x-mas is any better than writing Christmas, you are sorely mistaken. The X is Christmas has as much, or even more, religious connotation — even a simple Wikipedia search would prove this. The continued usage of the X to look frum is pure ignorance!

    8 years ago

    The people who are so worried should decorate a tree for Chanukkah.

    Moish
    Moish
    8 years ago

    There is a Supreme Court decision on this matter that held that the menorah display did not have the prohibited effect of endorsing religion, given its “particular physical setting”. Its combined display with a Christmas tree and a sign saluting liberty did not impermissibly endorse both the Christian and Jewish faiths, but simply recognized that both Christmas and Hanukkah are part of the same winter-holiday season, which, the court found, has attained a secular status in U.S. society. County of Allegheny v. American Civil Liberties Union, 492 U.S. 573 (1989).

    Please forward to the distinguished Township Attorney Steven Secare.