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Are there any suburban communities/neighborhoods in the NY metro area that can resist Hasidic usurption? Preferably in OC or Rockland? It seems to be an inevitable trend, judging from the posts here. But some places in Westchester like Pleasantville, Chappaqua, Armonk and Bronxville seem to have avoided this trend.
Pretty obviously, ones where housing is too expensive to make them desirable for Hasidim to move in.
The Hasidic communities in Williamsburg and other parts of Brooklyn make trouble there, too, such as asking for bike lanes to be redirected out of their neighborhoods because cyclists ride through scantily clad... but you can be sure what kind of response that drew!
There were some hasidim who supported the bike lanes, IIUC, cause many of them bike. The bike lanes were restored, IIUC.
An issue divides people. People lobby on both sides. The American way, huh?
The Hasid's have a plan...that they intent to eventually encompass Rockland County and then Orange County...they simply start by buying one home in an area and then moving in...the first residents are called "Pioneer's"...and of course then there is the big sell off...from the current residents that want to get out before the rest move in...
Given that different hasidic sects are often not on speaking terms, and that Satmar (which DID plan Kiryas Joel) is now split into two bitter factions, it seems virtually certain to me that there is no "hasidic plan". They simply try to squeeze in homes and institutions where they can. Given their birth rates its inevitable they will expand. An individual institution may have a plan. Sometimes a sect does - though in the cases of Vishnitz and Sqver, the plans seem to be to skip over Orange County and head for Sullivan. I do not know where you get the term pioneer from - thats a term that Ive heard Yuppies use in the past, but I have never heard a hasid use it. Nor have I heard them use the Hebrew equivalent - chalutz - I don't even know if there is a Yiddish equivalent.
Several municipalities have tried to zone land use to limit excessive building...but unfortunately...somewhere in the law is you cannot make laws that prohibit the building of religious building....you could just ask anyone in Airmont that is paying $75 extra every month in taxes to pay off a lawsuit that the Hasid's won...
Airmont wasn't banning all religious buildings. They were specifically banning congregations in private houses, with the specific goal of keeping hasidim out of the community (since they dont drive on the sabbath, in a low density suburban area they have to have small places of worship, usually home congregations.) There were records from meetings about "keeping the hasidim out" Airmont lost the suit cause what they were doing violated Federal fair housing laws.
What do the other communities do to keep them from hijacking their neighborhoods? I read a report about how one local politician blocked a Hasidic buyer from purchasing real estate in Goshen, but this led to a lawsuit:
"It’s our understand and information that upon receipt of that, Mr. Diana expressed directly that he would not consider this proposal; he did not want a Hasidic developer purchasing the property;"
Duh, violating the fair housing laws by refusing to sell to a member of a racial or religious group is not sustainable, huh?
As far as I know this is not true. Do you have any evidence it is?
It is largely true. (Though I won't claim it is universally true). Overall, as a community, they look for government support, while doing everything possible-- legal or illegal-- to avoid contributing.
You have the example of the Hasidim from New Square who were convicted of Federal fraud, only to be pardoned by Bill Clinton in exchange for support for Hillary Clinton, in her Senate run.
I can give you a related story from personal experience. I used to work in the Rockland County courts. Being a large part of the Rockland County population, Hasidim routinely get called for jury duty. But they never never never ever actually serve jury duty. Some claim a religious conflict. Others claim that they don't speak English (despite being 3rd generation American). And I'm not not saying that most of them refuse to serve --- I personally saw hundreds of examples, and absolutely zero ever actually served.
On the other hand, I often saw Hasidim as plaintiffs in frivolous lawsuits as plaintiffs.
It is largely true. (Though I won't claim it is universally true). .
there are many hasidim who do things I disapprove of that bring Judaism into disrepute, including fraud, violations of building codes, etc, etc. I very much think the leaders of their communities need to address this.
that is not what I was referring to though. I was referring to the claim that they pay no taxes, because everything they have or do is billed through a yeshiva. As far as I know this is not true. Some young couples live in apartments on yeshiva property, and thats certainly a valid area for dispute. But most established families own their homes and pay property taxes, etc. I know my mother in law pays her own grocery bills, directly, to her grocer.
yet I have heard this rumor on the net elsewhere. As far as I can tell its a malicious rumor, spread by people of ill will and no more scruple than the most fraudulent hasid.
Overall, as a community, they look for government support, while doing everything possible-- legal or illegal-- to avoid contributing. .
They take advantage of the programs legally available to them, as do millions of other americans. And they take advantage of tax loopholes as do millions of other americans.
They give to charities within their communities, support large families, usually sending all their kids to private schools, and do this on incomes they earn without college degrees mostly. Do they fall short in broader philanthropy and community involvement compared to every other part of the Jewish community? yes. Do they have financial strains almost unheard of in most other parts of the Jewish community? Also yes.
as for English, it is in fact true that many hasidim in Williamsburg and Kiryas Joel speak little English. I do not know about Monsey.
Since mostly they immigrated in the 1950's, I don't think too many except for the young adults are 3rd generation Americans.
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