Airmont, NY – The village’s bid to dismiss a federal lawsuit charging it with discrimination against Orthodox Jews has been rejected.
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U.S. District Judge Stephen Robinson denied a request to dismiss the lawsuit brought three years ago by the Department of Justice in a 1991 case, that the impetus of the village’s formation “was an animosity toward Orthodox Jews as a group.”
The federal government charges in its 3-year-old case that Airmont’s prohibition of boarding schools discriminates on the basis of religion. It also charges that the prohibition “substantially burdens the religious exercise in Airmont.”
In its 2005 lawsuit, the government charged that Airmont’s prohibition against dormitories specifically discriminated against Congregation Mischknois Lavier Yakov and its plans for a boys’ school on 19 acres off Hillside Avenue.
“Members of the congregation believe that it is essential for these boys to live, study and pray in the same place,” the Department of Justice stated, “in order to minimize outside influences and to intensify the religious learning experience.”
At about the same time that Airmont was sued by the federal government, the village and congregation reached a settlement under which the Planning Board would hear the congregation’s application.
The case was in a “preliminary” stage, said the village’s attorney, Kevin Plunkett of White Plains, so the denial was not unexpected.
Mayor Dennis Kay said today that the village was drawing up a new master plan for development which would provide for boarding schools.
“We have included that in our plans,” Kay said of provisions for student housing, “over the last two years that we’ve worked on them.”
It was the absence of such zoning that the federal government found discriminatory.
Robinson also upheld the authority of the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000, which the village is accused of violating.
In part, the law prohibits land-use regulations that impose substantial burdens on religious exercise.
good for them!!!! we will prevail
another Ghetto is born…in airmont!
i live in airmont you can feel the raceism in the air
after all the years of hate directed toward us we finally came out victorious and more to come
Those of us that live in Airmont are screwed either way. If we win, our taxes will go up, because these “boarding houses” don’t pay any taxes, and if we lose then our taxes go up to defend these lawsuits.
Monsey is an overpopulated ghetto because the hasidic group keeps changing zoning laws after illegally trammeling on them, to suit their needs. Airmont reasonably does not want to become a congested geography where there are eye-sore, multi-family monstrosities all over the place. To boot, the families of these ill-zoned structures do not care for the neighborhood, instead littering it with garbage and toys that are not put away.
When you finally drop the 1800’s polish mentality of huddling into the smallest areas possible, and instead spread out to let the geography absorb these overrunning numberes of people, then, maybe, airmont will invite you with open arms. Until then, don’t be surprised if they don’t like you- I don’t like you either.
reply to #7
You write “I don’t like you”. Who are you referring to?
Secondly, do you not like them or do you really hate them?
Do you not like them (hate them) because they leave toys outside, of is it because you feel uncomfortable with their level of observance of the Torah.
You know what they say. “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.
the Anti Semitisim in Airmont is simply because we are jewish they could use as many excuses as they want the cant stand the sight of us because we look different but dont worry in the near future the mayor of airmont will be an orthodox Jew
Monsey has changed from a beautiful, rural town to a MONROE-Willi lookalike. Driving down 306, or anywhere here has become a nightmare. This must be stopped before those of us who LEFT bklyn, end up living there again…we’re almost there now…and even if they are empty, those ugly ‘ches’ buildings and townhouses block out all the light, sun, air and trees..no wonder airmont wont let us in, they are afraid we will do to them exactly what we did here…so who can blame them? Its not only an antisemitic issue, which I DO believe it is…but it is also a quality of life issue..and on that, I sorrowfully agree…