Illegal Haredi Yeshiva Continues Operating Despite Court Decision

"You're surrounded by people at the end of their lives being blighted by this situation."

This yeshiva is a Lakewood offshoot:

Residents wonder why boro can't halt illegal operations 
Roosevelt to meet with court about yeshiva-related issues Sept. 17 
BY JANE MEGGITT • Allentown, Millstone, Roosevelt, Upper Freehold Examiner

ROOSEVELT — Kafkaesque — that's resident Shan Ellentuck's description of living on Homestead Lane since Yeshiva Me'on Hatorah established a school in the synagogue there four years ago.

At the Aug. 24 Borough Council meeting, Ellentuck and several other residents asked the governing body whether the borough would continue to allow the yeshiva and its dormitories to operate after the U.S. District Court and the Superior Court of New Jersey recently upheld the Planning Board's decision that the school needs to seek variances before doing so.

Ellentuck and her husband Bert live on a property between the synagogue at 18 Homestead Lane and the yeshiva-owned home being used as a dorm at 28 Homestead Lane. Noting that she, her husband and other Homestead Lane residents are elderly, Ellentuck said, "You're surrounded by people at the end of their lives being blighted by this situation. I hope it ends in my lifetime."

Borough Attorney Roger Shaklee said he would like to give the community a substantive answer, but ongoing litigation between the borough and yeshiva precludes him from doing so. He also said that the court order for the yeshiva to appear before the borough to seek a variance has not yet been signed.

While the living arrangement at 28 Homestead Lane is currently not under litigation, it likely will be, according to Shaklee.

After hearing an appeal lodged by the yeshiva, the Planning Board reaffirmed its stance Aug. 4 that the yeshiva is using the two-story home at 28 Homestead Lane as a dormitory, not keeping within the regulations of the borough's residential R-40 zone. The yeshiva is housing up to 30 students at a time in the home that can only legally house up to five unrelated residents.

Bert Ellentuck reiterated to the Borough Council that the zoning officer, fire marshal, and various other officials have confirmed that the house is being used as a dorm.

"There are beds and mattresses all over the floor and an unlicensed commercial kitchen," he said. "They've been told not to operate — they're operating."

He called the home a "flophouse" where 20-30 teenagers live and use only three toilets. He said the living situation poses a potential health hazard, and noted the current swine flu epidemic. He said the continued operation of the dorm is detrimental to the community's financial and mental wellbeing.

"Can they continue to operate in violation of our zoning ordinance?" he asked. "It's unacceptable to the community and me."

Ellentuck also told the council, "You have to do something to stop an illegal operation."

Shaklee said any number of different levels of government could shut down an illegal operation, and noted that the borough would meet with the court Sept. 17 to discuss various yeshiva-related issues.

Homestead Lane resident Melissa Branco told the council

that she appreciates borough officials cannot talk about the issues due to the ongoing litigation, but said, "Our lives are passing by. We win every step of the way, but we win nothing because the yeshiva is still operating. Twenty-eight Homestead Lane is still operating."

Branco also noted that the yeshiva is using the parsonage at 18 Homestead Lane and the yeshiva-owned property at 2 Homestead Lane as dorms.

"Could they be closed down while the court cases and appeals are filed?" she asked. "It's really a horrendous way to live."

Homestead Lane resident Dolores Chasen said she could no longer take pleasure sitting in her front yard because the yeshiva students play basketball in the street there.

Resident Robin Gould asked if the council has tried to approach the yeshiva about solving some of the issues, such as the basketball playing.

Councilman Jeff Ellentuck, the son of Bert and Shan, said that the yeshiva is well aware that the basketball playing causes irritation. He said New Jersey State Police have stated that they would respond to calls about and issue violations for people blocking driveways.

Homestead Lane resident Ralph Warnick, who lives next door to 2 Homestead Lane, said he had to ask yeshiva students not to trespass on his lawn.

"Not until we put up $1,500 worth of fencing did they stop going on our property," Warnick said. "We put up $800 in lighting so they would not congregate [in the front yard]. They always said, 'I'm sorry,' but kept doing it. When I lived in Brooklyn, I didn't have to put up with this crap."

Councilwoman Peggy Malkin noted that all of the town's legal bills are for the borough defending itself against lawsuits the yeshiva has brought against the community.

Comments

[Robert Wisler]

Orthodox Jews are nurtured on the knowledge that they are superior to those outside their group and therefore feel entitled to exploit them and trample on their rights and property. These elderly people are NOTHING to the yeshiva'leit.

Led by the hareidim's inexcusable and inhuman behavior toward their fellow man, we Jews are on a quick sure path to another round of oppression as happened in Europe during the 1930's.

Turn your behavior around before it's too late.

[Mr. Apikoros]

When will Lakewood authorities enforce THE LAW against illegal zoning?

If this house was occupied by 30 Mexicans or Guatemalan illegal aliens, local, state, and Federal authorities would be all over them like white on rice.

That's because the illegal Mexicans don't have the wherewithal to schmeer the townies, and these Haredim frumbags do.

I don't believe, however, these Haredim will lead to anti-Semitism '30's-style. However, they will have other effects:

1. A continuing turning-away from Judaism by the non-Orthodox, who are embarrassed by the behavior of the ultra-Orthodox.

2. A reaction by all, Jewish and otherwise, against these Haredi scum who flout the law in the name of Torah. That's no different than the Muslin scum who flout the law in the name of the Koran.

[WoolSilkCotton]

Mr. A: perfectly summarized.

[Baal Habos]

Mr. A, no 30 style Anti-semitism? Don't bet on it. Just check the comments in a typical rockland county news article about. It is scary, and understandable IMO, how much pent up anger there is against the Orthodox community for Jews abusing the democratic principle.

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=pluckcomments&key=20090904.lohud.BH909040354.article.NEWS03&s=a

[Dr. Dave]

The residents could throw rocks and dirty diapers at the students.
Oh I'm sorry I thought we were discussing Yerushalaim.

[Dr. Dave]

MrA want to see antisemetic comments?

Check out the comments to this you tube video related to the town supervisor's victory speech given to a group of chassidim:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzydI5liD9c

[effie]

How come the Fire Marshals haven't cited them? With a set up like that, I believe you need sprinklers and definitely an alarm system directly connected to the fire station.

[ah-pee-chorus]

in addition to all the other fine points stated above,how distorted and perverted has the haredi world become to constantly ignore the overriding admonition - DERECH ERETZ KADMA L'TORAH. what a continuing disgrace they are.

[A. Nuran]

Mr. A, thank you for using "flout" correctly and never saying "loose" when you mean "lose".

[WoolSilkCotton]

++ Baal Habos | September 06, 2009 at 08:58 AM++

I read nothing antisemitic in those comments. No mention of Jews, just a rare mention of hasidics. I'd be mighty pissed, too, if I lived there. All things considered, the nonJewish residents show remarkable restraint in their comments.

They are mostly angry at the sleazy politicians who pushed the approval through.

[seymour]

all is ok and correct since even thought they might be doing bad things it is all for the glory of studying Torah everything is permissible fraud chilum hashem stealing you name.

[shmuel]

"Homestead Lane resident Ralph Warnick, who lives next door to 2 Homestead Lane, said he had to ask yeshiva students not to trespass on his lawn.

"Not until we put up $1,500 worth of fencing did they stop going on our property," Warnick said. "We put up $800 in lighting so they would not congregate [in the front yard]. They always said, 'I'm sorry,' but kept doing it..."

What do you bet they were "learning" Bava Metzia, or Bava Basra, or Bava Kama that zman?
I personally know of a yeshiva that had just completed the "study" of one of those mesechtos and then threw out the clothing from one of their students which had been left there temporarily. There's quite a disconnect between study and actual practice. And that explains so many of our social ills and problems.