Saturday, April 12, 2008

NJ Judge Orders Halt To Jewish Services In Renovated Condo

In Toms River, New Jersey, according to APP, a state Superior Court judge on Friday ordered at least a temporary halt to to Orthodox Jewish prayer gatherings at a home that is part of a local condominium development. A Country Place filed suit in February against condo owner Anna Kahan, alleging that she violated the condo association rules by renovating without permission and using her unit for non-residential purposes. Kahan's attorney charges selective enforcement of the rules. Primarily elderly handicapped residents who cannot walk to another synagogue have been using the unit. The number of Orthodox Jews purchasing condo units in the development has been increasing. The judge ordered the halt so an engineer could inspect the renovations that had been done to see if a wall that had been removed supported other parts of the structure. Neighbors who object to the condo use say it violates the character of the neighborhood.