White Lake, NY – The Town of Bethel has ordered a Hasidic bungalow colony to stop using a partially finished community center — but the colony has been brushing off the town’s warnings.
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Residents of the colony on Schultz Road this month started using the large center without a certificate of occupancy, Town Supervisor Daniel Sturm said.
On Wednesday, the town issued a stop work order and ordered residents to vacate the building, but members of the colony have since been spotted inside the facility.
“We are trying to stop them,” Sturm said on Friday. “I think they are trying to occupy it still. We are monitoring it every day.”
The community center, located about 1,000 feet off Route 17B, is within easy eyesight of the road.
The colony is owned by United Talmudical Academy Torah NEYIRAH, which has a Brooklyn mailing address, according to town records.
Bethel residents have lodged numerous complaints that colony members was using the building. UTA has a permit to build the 6,900 square-foot center, but it had not been finished or inspected, town officials say.
Engineer Michael Weeks, of McGoey, Hauser and Edsall, visited the property Tuesday evening and deemed it unsafe. Weeks wrote in a letter he noticed several people coming and going from the building and numerous vehicles parked in front.
The unfinished parking area had extremely steep sides slopes, and had not been properly graded. There were no guide rails or clear pedestrian access to the building.
“At present, this site poses a clear danger to its users and other members of the public,” he wrote.
Sturm said the town will issue violations and these will continue as long as the colony continues to violate the order not to use the building. The town also plans a detailed site plan and building review to determine if the colony has complied with the building permit.
“We are taking this very seriously and doing everything we can to make sure people are safe,” Sturm said.
I am sure all you Willy and BP sackmarers will say it is the “anti- semites”- why can’t you do it right for a change and comply with local ordinances- it is no feather in your cap to always flaunt the system and show the yokels up there that the local laws are not applicable to us- after all we are hassidim- we are above the law!
Don’t use the shul until it meets standards and is inspected and you get the CO-
Welcome Home…More chilil hashem……
This is lie! this place is not being used, even they’re so desperate to use it!
But there is still no police to stand with a gun to keep all and every nosy body out of there.
Ha Ha ! The Chasidim after all have it right! You think they are stupid? They are probably ahveing problems obtaining a permit for some stupid reoson, so why are you sayin gsilly comments?
This comment I sent on a different blog but can be used here too, and substitute Satmar instead of Skver. Or substitute any frum organization that tries to do these things.
Although we here in America are definitely still in golus, I think it’s time we changed our golus mentality to understand that the government is not out to get us. This isn’t Poland between the 2 World Wars, this isn’t Russia at any time, the American governments have never been out to kill Jews or completely undermine our religion, nor to legislate rules that would make it hard for frum yidden to ern a living. Back in those days we had no choice but to do whatever we could to basically live, and that included not complying with laws. The rules and regulations in America are meant to protect all citizens, not meant to prevent Skver or any other frum institution from operating. Their mentality ahs always been that they are above the law and can do anything to accomplih their goals, albeit halachic goals. Witness the several Skverer chasidim who sat several years in jail for rampant fraud against the government, resulting in huge amounts of money stolen. We must wake up that we can receive fantastically large sums of money from the American government completely legal and without fear if we only follow the rules.
I totally understand the need for the correct permits after all its the city/locale that come running etc., in case of CHV a fire and I am not questioning that at all.
In general what I dont get is the “love” b’loshon tov that comes from the local yokels there. I am in the “country” a number of times a year during the winter and if not for the yidden spending 8 weeks there, the locals could just shut the whole place down. They should rename the area to Deadsville!!
ashamed for my self, this is our mentality, first we violate, then we scream anti-semi, and when something happaned and people sue we prresure them to be silent and they suffer.
Its allways easy the shortcut in the short time.
They caught the schtick, so settle and don’t be a eyesore for every guy passing by the 17B for years to come.
The key to the problem is in the article. “Bethel residents have lodged complaints”.
The colony applied for and received permits. Construction was done as approved, despite numerous complaints that were investigated and found to be fabricated. They requested the C of O but were stalled by the township. Its not being used abd those people observed using it were just looking at the place. The cars parked in front doesn’t mean anything. They are probably contractors.
It is obvious the neighbors have a problem and are making noise. Doesn’t mean the colony actually has done anything wrong.
So yes – its obvious that a frum organization is not treated the same way and there is obvious bias.
How many more stories like this. We should demand the fire and health authorities begin immediately a comprehensive review of all these bungalow colonies and camps (with a police escort if necessary) and shut down those with serious violations. This atitude that the “laws are not made for yidden” has to stop. There are more than enough construction workers, electricians and plumbers around in the current economy to make whatever repairs are needed. If these “cheap” yidden don’t want to spend the money to keep their properties safe and correct any code violations, than shut them down and send the residents and campers back home.
Unfortunately some locals (NOT ALL) on one hand like and need the jobs, money and business that comes in over the summer months, on the other hand they cant stand the site of us. (both chasidish, Litvish, Modern, Heimish, and everything in between)
why should they appriciate that in 2 months we are in upstate we treat the town like anti-semits, (and tax exempt).
They want to make a point that a local code can’t be ignored, so bend over, I don’t get the mentality “we don’t need this, we will get over it” its a shande.
Btw, the bethel town gave the jewish colonies the most out of any in the catskills, fallsburg, thompson, and liberty, why do we need to screw everyone, and then all of us suffer.
Let’s hope a clear mind there should straight it out
The non Jews may not like Jews but for the 8 weeks that they are there, the ones who own businesses, enjoy the profits they make during the summer months!! There is no getting around it!! Chase them away and there will be nothing to buy their xmas presents with == specially now, with the economy being so bad!! I would not complain fo the non jews!! Tell them a few of you are planning to leave early!! See their reaction!! They will be eating their inventory!!
A real Chillul Hashem, the people who are doing this Chillul Hashem are the same people who are constantly busy criticizing Kiryas Joel for not following building codes and making a Chillul Hashem,
what hypecrites!
practice what preach!