BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF PASCACK PRESS
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. — Representatives from opposing sides of a year-long legal fight between a prominent Orthodox Jewish organization in northern New Jersey and Woodcliff Lake both expressed a desire to settle the organization’s religious discrimination lawsuit against the borough as soon as possible, and maybe even by year’s end.
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In separate interviews with Pascack Press, Robert L. Greene, attorney for Valley Chabad, and Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo, both appeared to agree that a settlement may be possible soon.
Both were contacted by Pascack Press to find out where the lawsuit stands. Neither representative discussed any details of ongoing negotiations but both appeared positive when asked about a potential settlement.
The Valley Chabad, based in Woodcliff Lake since 1998, filed a 72-page lawsuit against the borough on Nov. 1, 2016, alleging that the borough conducted nearly a decade of discrimination and harassment against the organization to prevent it from building a larger house of worship there.
The lawsuit names Rendo, along with Woodcliff Lake, its zoning board, and property maintenance officer Paul Bechtel as defendants.
The group attempted to purchase four properties for expansion over nearly a decade and when those efforts were allegedly thwarted by borough officials, including Rendo, who is Republican gubernatorial candidate Kim Guadagno’s running mate, Valley Chabad filed its lawsuit.
“We’re certainly interested in settling the matter,” said Greene, when asked about the lawsuit’s future. “We’re always interested in settling these matters,” he repeated.
Asked about settling the lawsuit soon, possibly by year’s end, Rendo said: “I certainly hope so.”
While neither was willing to comment on negotiation progress, both Greene and Rendo said both sides were talking and that a settlement was possible.
Last November, Valley Chabad filed its lawsuit alleging a “consistent campaign of bias” against the organization that violated their civil rights as a result of the borough’s “burdensome, discriminatory and unreasonable land use regulations and intentional conduct” that prohibited Valley Chabad from constructing an enlarged house of worship in Woodcliff Lake.
According to its lawsuit, Valley Chabad states:
“The Chabad has been the victim of a targeted effort to prevent it from developing a house of worship in the borough, resulting from unjustified fear and prejudice of (haredi) Orthodox Jews.”
The lawsuit continues:
“Examples of this effort include Rendo’s statement that the Chabad was trying to ‘turn the Borough into a little Jerusalem”’and fears of local residents that the Borough will become ‘a Hassidic place’ and ‘a little Monsey,’ and that ‘Our town will be littered with black hats [a reference to Hassidic Orthodox Jews] walking the town on Saturdays.’”
After almost a decade of trying to buy a local property and build a larger house of worship between 2006 to 2015, Valley Chabad alleges the borough sabotaged negotiations between the group and various properties by announcing its interest in acquiring the properties for open space or keeping them available for developments, like town homes.
To add another wrinkle, in late August Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy lashed out at Guadagno’s refusal to criticize state senator Parker Space who posed on Facebook with the Confederate flag, and also called out Rendo for his alleged role in denying Valley Chabad’s efforts to expand in Woodcliff Lake.
“We’ve learned that her choice for Lieutenant Governor (Rendo) has been accused of systematic harassment and discrimination by the Chabad community in Woodcliff Lake. Yet, both times Lieutenant Governor Guadagno refused to criticize racist and anti-semitic speech despite the clear evidence,” said Murphy.
Rendo said Murphy’s accusation is “an allegation” and that it is wrong. “That’s something I can’t control,” he said of Murphy’s charge. “They’re using it for their political advantage. It’s unfortunate,” he said.
On June 16, local officials learned that the U.S. Attorney’s Office was investigating the borough to determine whether it violated a religious land-use law by denying Valley Chabad’s efforts to expand.
The letter to Rendo said the borough and its zoning board are under investigation. It said federal authorities have not determined whether the law was violated.
“We’ve been cooperating,” said Rendo.