JACKSON – A lawsuit has been filed which alleges that Jackson officials rejected a residential development application known as Jackson Trails to prevent Orthodox Jews from moving into the community.
The plaintiff, Jackson Trails LLC, named Jackson Township and the Jackson Planning Board as defendants in a legal action filed Feb. 3.
Jackson officials have not responded to requests for comment about the lawsuit.
Representatives of Jackson Trails sought approval to construct 459 housing units and a house of worship on a 130-acre property near Jackson’s border with Manchester Township. The application failed to gain approval from the Planning Board in 2019.
The lawsuit claims the Planning Board denied the Jackson Trails application “bowing to severe anti-Semitic pressure from local residents and fears that Orthodox Jews may purchase homes and reside in the development, and due to the inclusion in the development of a house of worship that may be used as a synagogue for Orthodox Jews.”
The lawsuit asserts the board’s denial of the application was “part of a rising tide of anti-Semitism in the township.”
The Jackson Trails lawsuit was mentioned during the Feb. 11 meeting of the Township Council as council members conducted a public hearing prior to adopting an ordinance that established a new Highway Commercial Mixed Use (HCMU) zone on Route 537 near Six Flags Great Adventure (not where Jackson Trails was proposed).
Shlomi Klein, an Orthodox Jewish resident of Lakewood, suggested the Jackson Trails lawsuit was the result of what he said was a precedent set by Jackson officials to create new ordinances for developers.
He said the idea of Jackson Trails LLC suing the township to have a development approved did not have to involve religion.
“If that is the case, they got the idea of suing the town and getting their way from this (HCMU) ordinance. They did not have to hijack the whole Jewish religion to do it,” Klein said. “They did not have to hijack religion to get their way, they could just sue the town.”
Klein said developers may be taking advantage of a situation in which Orthodox Jews want to leave Lakewood – which is seeing a population boom that includes a sizable Orthodox Jewish population – by attempting to develop housing in Jackson.
“Because you (Jackson officials) don’t like (development), you are all being labeled as anti-Semitic,” Klein said.
Mayor Michael Reina said residents have heard many opinions on the matter.
“I think most importantly is you heard it in an open public forum,” Reina said. “Jackson has come together more times in my 32 years here then I can remember in the rest of my life.”
He said residents of Jackson are as unique as they are diverse.
“Our neighbors, which is you, me and everybody who resides in Jackson … there is no division line … that is fabricated on social media and in unworthy news press,” Reina said.
“You are not hearing all these horrors you are reading on social media and some of these drive-by press reports, whether it comes from inside the town or not. What you see here tonight is real, we all came together.
“That is what matters, this is what you hear with your own ears. Then you decide where you take it, not everyone is evil, not everyone is corrupt,” the mayor said.
Reina said Township Council meetings are factual.
“If you can’t handle the facts, maybe it means they are not for you, and social media, sitting behind the computer and listening to the rantings of a few stark raving maniacs.
“Well, that is nothing we can help you with. This council sits up here, week after week, and is asked questions, and they constantly answer every single one. My office does the same and so does the municipal clerk,” he said.
The mayor said some people are looking for a smoking gun.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the only smoking gun in Jackson is in the minds of people who get themselves so immersed in social media drama.
“Jackson is a lovely place to live, work and play. The only hate here is from a few hate-mongers, it is not from your neighbors, it is not from across the street and it is definitely not what you see on (social media). It is nonsense,” Reina said.
