An open letter from the activist group United Monroe to the Satmar hasidic village of Kiryas Joel.
From United Monroe:
Open Letter From United Monroe to the Leadership of Kiryas Joel:
We are interested in peace between our communities. We believe that a civil atmosphere must exist before any constructive dialogue among our communities can take place. We trust that you recognize that the primary cause of the recent discord is the Annexation. To lay the foundation for a civil conversation, Kiryas Joel needs to withdraw both the Annexation Petition and the recent resolution requesting the Town of Monroe hand over lead agency and the 507 acres in exchange for the possible separation of Kiryas Joel from the Town of Monroe. Moreover, Kiryas Joel representatives, such as School Superintendent Joel Petlin and Attorney Steven Barshov, need to cease characterizing residents who have concerns about the Annexation as being intolerant. This is far from the truth, and further poisons the atmosphere. Once Kiryas Joel takes these steps, United Monroe would be willing to promote an open and transparent dialogue with Kiryas Joel and other interested stakeholders aimed at developing a mutually beneficial framework for our communities going forward. We look forward to hearing from you.