London Rabbi Cleared Of Excessive Noise Charges

In Britain, a High Court has ruled in favor of a North London rabbi charged with violating a noise abatement order. Yesterday's Metro reported that Rabbi Moshe Rottenberg had been charged by a Muslim neighbor of his synagogue with excessive noise-- chanting, stamping and shouting. However the crown court, overturning the rabbi's conviction by a magistrate, found that the noise was infrequent and did not amount to a nuisance. Rabbi Rottenberg's lawyers argued that the noise occurred only on holy days. The High Court, upholding the crown court, said that the judge did not have to follow the views of environmental health officers who thought the noise was excessive.