Kiryas Joel Residents Barred From Checking Out Library Materials In 4 New York Counties

The New York State Board of Regents has approved an amendment to the Monroe Free Library’s charter thatexcludes the Satmar Village of Kiryas Joel from the library’s service area – meaning Kiryas Joel residents can no longer check out library materials there or from other public libraries in the Ramapo-Catskill Library System, including libraries in  Orange, Ulster, Rockland and Sullivan counties.

Kiryas Joel Residents Barred From Checking Out Library Materials In 4 New York Counties
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com

The New York State Board of Regents has approved an amendment to the Monroe Free Library’s charter thatexcludes the Satmar Village of Kiryas Joel from the library’s service area – meaning Kiryas Joel residents can no longer check out library materials there or from other public libraries in the Ramapo-Catskill Library System, including libraries in  Orange, Ulster, Rockland and Sullivan counties,
the Photo News reported.

“Kiryas Joel residents have not paid taxes toward the library, or voted on library issues, since 2005, when they entered into a contract exempting them from those taxes so that they could direct funds toward the construction of their own library, an initiative that never materialized,” Sandra Keltai, the president of the Monroe Free Library’s Board of Trustees reportedly wrote in an email to the paper.

“…This will leave Village of Kiryas Joel residents without public library service,” Keltai reportedly wrote in a public statement. “They will not have borrowing privileges at any public library in the Ramapo-Catskill Library System, which networks libraries in Orange, Ulster, Rockland and Sullivan counties.”

The Regents decision was reportedly made on October 22.

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Comments

[Frum but normal]

These guys don't use the library anyways,as a matter of fact any boy or girl visiting the public libraries is persona non grata in their school system

[ah-pee-chorus]

fair is fair.

you either want to participate in the library system or you don't. you either keep your word and build your own library or you dont.

[Feminista]

"...you either keep your word and build your own library or you dont." Hahaha! Didn't you know that the Satmar took another vote and decided that they were exempt from keeping their word?

[Sarek]

The KJ library, when built, will contain the Torah, the Talmud, the Mishnah, maybe some Haftorah and writings of whatever old reb is in favor that year. Nothing else is required to live a good life.

[RWisler]

Loved how they out-and-out lied about constructing their own library. And the various New York municipalities working within the law, protects this sham "incorporated village"????? Ideally, (I know this would never happen although I wish it would) they ought to take it over, force them to respect anti-discrimination laws in housing, and NEVER allow another sham religion to incorporate, New Square included..

[Atheodox Jew]

Presumably this is a "punitive" measure. But it sounds like it couldn't be better suited to the Satmar establishment's agenda - that the people have zero access to "impure" knowledge. And the sad thing is, now those individuals who want to broaden their minds (and have no internet access) face an even greater impediment. Though at least they can still go sit in the library and read...

[RWisler]

Every time the administration of Kiryas Yoel or New Square promises something to the county or state, it should be regarded as an utter lie.

[m]

OMG ! that's a slap in their face .
kyrias joel residents deserve it very well

this is the first time I hear residents of new York state are not allowed to use a public library in their ny state town .

I didn't think it could be possible to block them from using a public place . wow !

[m]

next , sholom rubashkin denied 2255 motion appeal . anything is possible . let hope, wish and pray it will happen .

[JessicaR]

Is some sort of compromise available? For example, charging KJ residents who want to use the library a modest annual fee equivalent to the average per capita amount paid by users in other communities?

It seems a shame to punish innocent people because their leaders take a certain position.

[Bas Melech]

This decision seems to have been made in collusion with the rabbis who don't want their followers to frequent public libraries and gain knowledge of the world around them.

[(The other) Eli]

OMG ! that's a slap in their face .
kyrias joel residents deserve it very well

this is the first time I hear residents of new York state are not allowed to use a public library in their ny state town .

I didn't think it could be possible to block them from using a public place . wow !

Posted by: m | November 03, 2013 at 12:27 PM

They're not blocked from *using* a public space. They are blocked from taking out materials from a public space.
Which is fine. Don't pay the taxes like everyone else; don't get access to the same services as everyone else.

[old time brooklyn]

This is not a matter of exclusion. The headline is very misleading.
A number of years ago KJ opted out of the library system for their own reasons and took a payout. They have not been a participating member since. The library simply updated their charter to reflect the reality of the service area.
I have seen many Chassids in the library over the years and have had some decent conversations - mostly with the women who for the most part are as interested in the world as most but due to cultural norms and restrictions are not able to easily partake.
The library is not going to stop anyone from coming in and flipping through the stacks and rightfully so. What they will not do is let someone without a valid card check out material. The library simply updated the charter to reflect the reality much like if you are no longer a member of an organization you are purged from the rolls. Why not take the kJ busses - they are open to the public and I have taken them many times though the schedule is in Yiddish the OC department of transportation sent me an English version.
What this has sadly done is bring out some very legitimate frustrations though expressed rather poorly.

[Frum but normal]

Jessica,when was the last time you saw a satmar in a library ?,the library is off limits to them,any kid visiting a library is automatically thrown out from their schools,

[old time brooklyn]

Jessica,

Anyone can use the library if they pay an annual fee.

[Yanina]

The library has other services which KJ can use, they just can't take out books. This was a decision brought about by the mayor of KJ in 2005. They felt their (tax)money would be better spent going toward a library of their own instead of paying for something they don't use. Unfortunately, this issue was hijacked and used as a political tactic (possibly by some members of the current town board) to vilify residents and further the divide they've created. Hence the "sit-in" that no one showed up for and the bogus twitter accounts that are spamming everyone's feeds. What a shame to use people like that.

[S M L]

"..Presumably this is a "punitive" measure. But it sounds like it couldn't be better suited to the Satmar establishment's agenda - that the people have zero access to "impure" knowledge..."

I thought somehow on first read of the headline and lead-in that in fact the Satmar had finagled this to keep their people out of the libraries. An incorrect assumption I see though it wouldn't have surprised me to have learned that that was the case.

[Sarek]

("The Library Song", Hertz/Herron)

Oh it’s not for you and it’s not for me
It’s the Monroe Township library
They have books and things that are quite scary
It’s the greatest threat to rabbis, it’s the library
They have histories that are no mystery
If you read them, you’ll need therapy
Verboten movie shows, they’ll see your tyranny
It’s the greatest threat to rabbis, it’s the library

Educational, informational, science in three-dimensional
Destroys your way of life, not for you or me
It’s the greatest threat to rabbis, it’s the library

[seymour]

the same should be done regarding organ donation

[Yochanan Lavie]

They can check out little boys in the mikvah, but secular books are perverted.

Nice, Sarek.

[Sarek]

Thanks YL. I wondered if anybody knew this jingle.