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Rabbi Ordered To Stop Home Prayer
MyCFNow ^

Posted on 03/21/2002 3:18:59 AM PST by chance33_98

Rabbi Ordered To Stop Home Prayer
Attorney Plans To Fight Decision

Posted: 2:43 p.m. EST March 20, 2002
Updated: 4:11 p.m. EST March 20, 2002
ORLANDO, Fla. -- An Orange County rabbi faces fines of up to $50 a day if he continues to hold prayer gatherings inside his home, according to Local 6 News
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The Orange County Code Enforcement Board ruled Wednesday that Rabbi Yosef Konikov's prayer gatherings are in violation of a county code, according to Local 6 News.

Konikov was served with a code violation last March after officials discovered that he was leading ten to 20 Central Florida families in prayer and song.

Under the current zoning law, operating a synagogue or any function related to synagogue or church services is not a permitted use in residential zoned area, Local 6 News reported.

However, Konikov believed the ordinance violated his religious rights. His attorney, John Stemberger wanted the board to re-write the law to allow all groups to meet and pray in their homes.

"All we wanted to do is share my Saturday meals with friends," Konikov said. "All we wanted is to be allowed to practice our sacred traditions in a peaceful manner. I hope Orange County will grant us the freedoms of the Constitution. The freedom to worship, freedom to assemble and the freedom of speech.

Konikov must comply with the board's decision by May 19 or face fines.

Konikov's attorney John Stemberger said that he will file a restraining order to allow the gathering to continue beyond the 60 days and to stop any fines.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: billofrights; constitutionlist; govwatch
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To: Truth Addict
"It seems to me that the issue is whether this local zoning regulation constitutes a "substantial burden" on the rabbi's religious expression. Since he is free to conduct his services elsewhere, I don't think that it does."

Hogwash. He can't just "conduct his services elsewhere." It takes money. Money to buy property. Money to build. The first ammendment is guaranteed. If the zoning law is causing him not to be able to practice his religion, it is wrong.

As for the scale of people attending.. that is another issue. Safety, and other considerations would limit this concern... NOT ZONING. There is no case of zoning laws prior to the 20th century. Additionally, churches have always been in residential areas.

It used to be that a church was looked upon as a positive addition to a neighborhood, or section of town. With the new anti-God, anti-religion climate in this country, this is no longer the case.

Either we own our land or we don't. I gurantee you he could hold a drunken football party or bluehaired bridge club with the same amount of attendees every week and the county wouldn't say squat. I've seen it happen. I personally know a pastor that was told by the County he could NOT hold regularly scheduled prayer meetings in his home for 15-30 people. He was told he could meet for any other reason except religious, as it then became a "church".

I live in Florida (Indian River County). My view is as long as they are not on my property or making too much noise, etc. Then it is nobody's business what they do. It is HIS property.

I'm sick to death of these zoning NAZI's. They never can leave it at good common sense. They always go too far. The deed restriction wannabes can jump in the same lake.

Here's to the Florida I was born and raised in, and I hope the Jew wins...

- a 6th generation Cracker

41 posted on 03/21/2002 11:28:22 AM PST by willide
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To: Askel5
These are a few of the examples

Chicago Public Schools set up Muslim Prayer Rooms

Chicago Schools Create Prayer Room for Muslims

SCHOOL PRAYER IS FINE - AS LONG AS YOU'RE MUSLIM, New York Schools.

Rock Bridge accommodates Muslim students: "It sounds like we set up a mosque in our (public) school", Columbia, Missouri

42 posted on 03/21/2002 4:00:00 PM PST by syriacus
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To: syriacus; THanksBTTT
Thanks for the links. I'm sorta stunned actually.

I wonder that Muslims or those otherwise accomodated ever understand the backhanded nature of the compliment ... the war on Christianity being part and parcel of its Proof.

43 posted on 03/21/2002 4:58:34 PM PST by Askel5
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To: Truth Addict
Actually, I'd rather have an obnoxious Lubovitcher rabbi next door to me than to have jackbooted thugs running around the county shutting down such operations under the authority of the county zoning administrators.
44 posted on 03/21/2002 5:50:02 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: willide
My view is as long as they are not on my property or making too much noise, etc. Then it is nobody's business what they do. It is HIS property

That pretty well sums up my attitude on this issue as well, but this situation is different. The visitors have been parking on neighbors' lawns, sometimes damaging property in the process, and causing traffic and parking problems. This is a residential area, and if you live there, you don't expect these kind of problems on an ongoing basis (as many as ten times a week).

When I first read the article at the top of this thread, I was sympathetic to the rabbi, and thought the zoning board was wrong, but after doing some more research and finding the article that I linked to, I changed my mind.

"All we wanted to do is share my Saturday meals with friends," Konikov said.

The rabbi is misrepresenting his case. Here are some more quotes from the article:

As part of the county’s case against Konikov, Glassman cited three Web sites where Konikov has listed his home as a place of worship open to anyone interested in praying

“It’s not just small, occasional gatherings,” said Ted McDonald, who lives a few doors down from Konikov and is president of the Sand Lake Hills Homeowners Association. He said the rabbi sometimes hosts nearly a dozen meetings a week. On Wednesday, McDonald presented a petition with roughly 300 signatures of people opposed to Konikov’s violation of the county code.

“I think he’s making a big mistake,” Lunin said. It’s not about Jewish discrimination or even government discrimination against religions in general, he said. “It may well be an issue about people not liking traffic in their quiet neighborhoods, about people worrying about their kids having to dodge too much traffic,” Lunin said.

I don't care what he does on his own property and I don't think zoning laws should address that, but this is causing a serious impact on his neighbors that I think needs to be dealt with.

45 posted on 03/22/2002 5:38:22 AM PST by Truth Addict
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To: muawiyah
Actually, I'd rather have an obnoxious Lubovitcher rabbi next door to me than to have jackbooted thugs running around the county shutting down such operations under the authority of the county zoning administrators.

If you don' t mind, that's your prerogative, but the county had a petition with 300 signatures to deal with from the rabbi's neighbors. The fact that they decided to take some action to deal with that does not make them "jack booted thugs" by any stretch of the imagination.

46 posted on 03/22/2002 5:45:12 AM PST by Truth Addict
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To: Truth Addict
Whatever happened to common courtesy? Not having read all of the particulars to this story, it takes a pretty big house to hold over 100 people safely.

Yes, let's also deal with the traffic and parking issue. How many cars are needed to transport these folks? Conservatively, you're adding at least 20 cars to the neighborhood for the duration of this gathering. What about the rights of the other homeowners/taxpayers?

I'll check back after I've taken the time to read the article. But it's going to take a lot of evidence to convince me otherwise. I'm all for freedom of religion, but why not build your own church?

47 posted on 03/22/2002 6:05:12 AM PST by Night Hides Not
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To: Night Hides Not
I'll check back after I've taken the time to read the article.

Don't miss the link I posted in #29.

Thanks for the support. I was beginning to feel like the Lone Ranger on this thread.

48 posted on 03/22/2002 6:10:24 AM PST by Truth Addict
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Comment #49 Removed by Moderator

To: chance33_98
Why do I have the image of the rabbi holding a quiet prayer meeting in an attic, with the "door" to the attic cleverly hidden behind a dresser...
50 posted on 03/22/2002 6:20:43 AM PST by Ward Smythe
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To: willide
Guess some people are terrified at the thought of Jews and Christians roaming the neighborhood, enjoying themselves by praying and worshipping and perhaps asking God's blessings on the area. O, the horror.
51 posted on 03/22/2002 6:23:13 AM PST by constitutiongirl
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To: Truth Addict
HI-OH, SILVER!!!!!!!!! ;^D

I knew we weren't getting the 'Rest of the Story'. Here, for the benefit of all, are quotes from the Sentinel article:

Neighbors and enforcement-board investigators say members of the synagogue came by the dozens, parking on lawns and curbs and creating traffic jams.

Pittman said the case rose beyond the tolerable. “You can have friends over to watch Monday Night Football,” he said, referring to the analogy often repeated by Konikov and his supporters. “But if you have people coming over three or four times a week with lots of cars and traffic problems, and neighbors complain, then you have a problem.”

As a testament to how popular Konikov’s Tamarind Circle home had become, the county counted 373 vehicles and 510 people descending on the rabbi’s house for worship, study or fellowship during a period of 49 days.

“It’s not just small, occasional gatherings,” said Ted McDonald, who lives a few doors down from Konikov and is president of the Sand Lake Hills Homeowners Association. He said the rabbi sometimes hosts nearly a dozen meetings a week.

The rabbi never directly challenged neighbors’ accusations about parking and traffic. He and his attorney focused their comments on the larger constitutional question of freedom of religion.

Sorry, folks. What this rabbi needs to do is raise the funds for a synogogue. This has been going on for over a year. It's time for the rabbi to move his congregation to a more appropriate site.

The parish that I belong to (St. Ann Catholic Parish, Coppell, TX) started much the same way about 15 years ago. It started with a modest number of families, and has since grown to over 5,000 families. Last October, our new church was dedicated, and has a seating capacity of approximately 1500 worshipers. When we aren't early for the 10 AM or noon Mass on Sunday, it's SRO.

I only bring this up to buttress my point that I don't think this is an issue of freedom of religion. The rights of the residents to live in peace and quiet are also worthy of respect. How would you like it if numerous cars were parked in front of your house/street several days a week? I'm sure these are good people, but they really need to establish a more appropriate place of worship. The good rabbi might find that his flock would increase exponentially!

52 posted on 03/22/2002 6:36:57 AM PST by Night Hides Not
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To: Night Hides Not
HI-OH, SILVER!!!!!!!!! ;^D

I guess I'll have to start calling you Tonto now!

Freegards.

53 posted on 03/22/2002 6:42:35 AM PST by Truth Addict
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