Palo Alto, CA – Dispute Over Sukkah On Patio of Housing Complex

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    Palo Alto, CA – For more than a decade, Abraham Berman’s homemade sukkah made an annual appearance on the second-floor patio of Sheridan Apartments, an affordable-housing complex near Palo Alto’s California Avenue Business District.

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    Berman, an energetic 81-year-old with a background in construction, said he began the tradition 11 years ago and has done it every year since as a way to honor his faith and foster an atmosphere of peace.

    This year, this custom will likely come to an end. The Palo Alto Housing Corporation, a nonprofit organization that manages 20 affordable-housing properties throughout the city, informed Berman last year that he is no longer allowed to erect the structure in the common area of the 57-unit building.

    Full story at Palo Alto Online


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    16 Comments
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    shosh
    shosh
    12 years ago

    Welcome to the South Bay!!!!!
    Having lived in the same area, it is not uncommon to disallow such religious symbols. Jews there tend to hide their visibility, they are very “pluralistic” which means that anyone can accept religious values as long as they are not Jewish symbols. So not permitting a succah is quite normal; the man noted should go to one of the parks and set up his succah there.

    shredready
    shredready
    12 years ago

    strange after all these years to say no.

    however, if they are consistent with this rule I really can see no problem

    who knows it could be an insurance problem

    12 years ago

    Mark my words, the gentile tenants will blame the Jews for their Christmas tree being prohibited.

    12 years ago

    There are at least a half dozen public suchahs available within 2 miles of downtown Palo Alto and probably more that are not listed in the new web-based directory. Yidden should stop trying to erect their menorahs, suchahs etc. on property or sites where they are prohibited or require prior approval from public agencies or homeowner/condo associations. You are not being mehader mitzvah by making a shanda for the goyim.

    basmelech
    basmelech
    12 years ago

    They should give him enough time to take it down, 8 days perhaps.

    Pereles
    Pereles
    12 years ago

    just wondering if someone wanted to have a camp out, would they be allowed to put up a tent ont their balcony?

    12 years ago

    My brother, also in Florida, used to have neighbors complain about his succah to the community board. (or whatever the private area authority is called). They can’t give him permission for a structure, even temporarily, because it’s against zoning. so they have a deal with him starting a few years ago: He applies. He puts up his succah (erev yom tov to isru chag only). They delay ruling for 10 days. His succah comes down. They don’t need to rule on the application.