Public Comments Regarding Borscht Belt Neon Sign

Mack's Newtown Voice

Members of the public spoke up at the January 4, 2024, #NewtownPA Zoning Hearing Board regarding Borscht Belt Deli's appeal of a Notice of Violation issued by the township declaring that the neon sign in its window violation the JMZO's zoning ordinance. Read more about this here: https://sco.lt/58eUaW "This is a very troubling situation," Eric Pomerantz told the Newtown Zoning Hearing Board. "Why wasn't there an investigation done to assess the number of other businesses in violation before issuing the violation to the Borscht Belt? Because we hear that they only respond to complaints," he said. "So you present to our community that you're doing the bidding of this person who has demonstrated hostility. It certainly feels like selective enforcement given that all the other businesses operated their signs without issue. It certainly feels like the Jewish community has been singled out for enforcement while others are not," he said. "We're part of the community. What's happening here is not something you should be proud of. So what's your solution? If I were in your position, I would invite them (the Borscht Belt) to submit an application for a variance because legally Mr. Sander may be right, but morally he is wrong. And this will be something the community will not forget," said Pomerantz. As reported in the Newtown Patch, Rabbi Charles Briskin from Congregation Shir Ami in Newtown spoke in support of the appeal, speaking about the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. "The spirit of the law says this is a business that has a lovely sign in the window, that does not say anything offensive. It is not blinking and it's not obnoxious," he said. "It is a sign that is simply here to announce a business, a culture, a tradition. I hope that this board could find that compromise between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. "Perhaps the letter of the law says there was a violation. The spirit of the law is that Mike and Dave simply want to have a lovely sign that announces this wonderful restaurant, this wonderful addition to our community." Resident Brandon Win, the former president of Congregation Brothers of Israel in Newtown and a former member of the zoning hearing board, said "I am repulsed by the notion that people are using the term antisemitism about a sign. What we have here is the enforcement of an ordinance that has been in place for decades," he said. "If it's a selective enforcement, it is the applicant's prerogative to take up a claim in the appropriate forum. This is not that. This is an argument about an appeal about whether or not they violated the code that is in place today and has been. It is no more. It is no less."