Posted on 11/12/2013 10:35:23 PM PST by Impala64ssa
Standing nearly 400 strong, arms linked in defiance of a brisk autumn wind and the bitter enemy of innuendo, members of the Pine Bush School District community came together Sunday afternoon to set the record straight:
"We are not a group of bigots living out here in the woods," said John Kahrs, a 12-year resident of Bloomingburg, as he tinkered with a bullhorn he'd just picked up at a Harbor Freight store to address the crowd.
Kahrs, a commercial airline pilot and father of four, was referring specifically to a New York Times story Friday that detailed allegations in a lawsuit charging anti-Semitism in the school district.
He also was referring obliquely to widespread community opposition to a 396-unit town house complex proposed in the Town of Mamakating, along with a private girls' school that would serve the development's Hasidic population.
Yet, Kahrs stressed, "We are not anti-Semitic. What we are against is high-density housing. That's a no-win situation for the public."
Rebecca Suchy, president of Pine Bush's parent-teacher organization for the Crispell Middle School, said in her eight years as president she hadn't heard any reports of anti-Semitism.
"I think it's unfair our community was portrayed in a negative way," Suchy said.
(Excerpt) Read more at recordonline.com ...
“Yet, Kahrs stressed, ‘We are not anti-Semitic. What we are against is high-density housing. That’s a no-win situation for the public.’”
This is a perfectly valid reason for a small town to oppose this conclave.
Complex issue.
The bible principle that whoever blesses Jews (even though not yet come to Christ) will be blessed... remains.
They are probably going to be pretty well behaved, though they may attract attacks. I’d say on balance it won’t impact policing.
Christians should welcome any Jewish people who are serious about God, even if “not according to knowledge.” But they need to be on their toes theologically and ready to witness. If the Jews don’t like that, then they can choose whether or not to stick around.
I thought it was pretty straightforward. A high density conclave in a small town just doesn’t belong there and I don’t care WHO you are.
Now, I would change my mind in a heartbeat if there were other high density areas in this small town and no one minded. But I don’t see that here. They are literally talking about building a project for Jews.
Well, God cares.
There is also probably a religious reason for this. They want to be able to visit one another on a Sabbath (Saturday) without undertaking what they view as unseemly travel. And they can also carry books, food, etc. around with them that they wouldn’t carry on the street. If they are observing it out of conscience towards God, then God honors that.
If opposed enough they will go away, and some other locale will get them. And the potential blessing will move on as well. I don’t get the basis of “just doesn’t belong.” Who is the king of belonging here?
Yes, though this is a different situation, unrelated to the proposed housing project. Some non-Hasidic Jewish students allegedy victims of anti-Semetism, that case is still under investigation. Actually, there’s more animosity between the Hasidim and Reformed Jews than any anti-Semitism that still lingers. Not to mention the 20-odd sects within the Chasidic branch of Judaism that are oftentimes at odds with each other. Nothing like what goes on in the Mideast between moslem sects. Just ask anyone on the NYPD who’s familiar with the Williamsburg or Midwood precindts, or the Rockland Cty Sheriff’s office, or any NY state troopers stationed in Monroe-Woodbury or the Catskills. Breaking up rock and bottle throwing incidents between them is quite common. And as far as any klan activity in Pine Bush, some clown named James Sheely claims to be a klan dragon. About 15 yrs ago he staged a klan rally near Prospect Park in Brooklyn (talk about Darwin Awards candidates!) Ironically his brother’s business, a chain of laundromats and car washes in the area, sponsors a car club, Downforce Creations, a bunch of mostly Black and Latino 20-somethings mainly from Newburgh who build lowriders. Go figure!
Can you link to a single report of a rock throwing incident involving Chassidim in New York State? You say they are “quite common” and I never have heard of them. I have been at weddings in Mknsey and Soring Valley at which there were Chassidix attendees from many groups and they all got along.
I’ll walk that back. I grew up in Rockland Cty and I have seen animosity between the sects, that occasionally escalates to that level. Recently there was an article in the Journal-News about one of the Satmar leaders in Monsey who claimed that some Lubavitchers tried to torch his house.
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