Judge Rules: Chabad Can Operate in Toms River Home

APP reports that the Chabad Jewish Center can continue to operate in a home on Church Road after a federal judge ruled that Toms River wrongly required the Chabad to acquire a variance to operate in a residential zone. 
This ruling can pave the way for future zoning issues.

The report says, "U.S. District Court Judge Freda L. Wolfson said the township's Board of Adjustment violated the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the U.S. Constitution in  barring Rabbi Moshe Gourarie from operating the Chabad without a variance."
"I'd just like to say that our clients are very pleased with the result and look forward to many years of a productive relationship with the community in Toms River," said Roman P. Storzer, of Storzer & Greene in New York and Washington, D.C., who represents the Chabad Jewish Center.


Wolfson also required Toms River to pay $122,500 to Gourarie, who operates the Chabad in his house. She also dismissed several pending zoning violations that the township had filed against Gourarie. APP reports that the judge did place several limits on Chabads operations The judge placed some limits on the Chabad's operations: "no more than 35 people will be allowed at the Church Road property for events held there, except for on six holidays — Sukkot, Simchas Torah, Pesach (Passover), Purim, Lag b'omer and Shavuot — when a maximum of 49 people will be permitted there. No parking will be allowed on Church Road for Chabad events, and any sign placed on the Chabad property must comply with Toms River ordinances." read more at APP.com