Synagogue expansion fight gets ugly...question of religious freedom is raised

[Poll_Blind]

MODS: Full title is "Synagogue expansion fight gets ugly As neighbors fear an increase in traffic, question of religious freedom is raised"

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

A neighborhood squabble over the proposed expansion of a synagogue in Tiburon has turned into a high-stakes battle over religious freedom.

The issue is whether Congregation Kol Shofar, the only Jewish place of worship in the wealthy Marin County community, can build two new wings onto its existing facility to serve a growing congregation, against the wishes of most people who live in the surrounding neighborhood.

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"Over 200 households have signed petitions," said Karen Nygren of the Tiburon Neighborhood Coalition, a group formed to fight Kol Shofar's plans. "It's not just a little group that is against this. We feel this is purely a land-use issue. It has nothing to do with religion."

That is not how representatives of Kol Shofar see it. Earlier this month, they enlisted help from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a national legal foundation that fights for religious freedom. Lawyers for the organization are threatening to file a lawsuit against the town of Tiburon under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 if the expansion plans are not approved.

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  I recommend that if this catches your interest to read the whole article.

PB