Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Patch reader proposed alternate Hanukkah symbol for town hall.
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Why are some Springfield residents afraid of lighting and displaying eight lights of the Menorah during the Holiday celebration of Town Hall? Where is the good will toward men? Why can't our Jewish children look toward town hall and feel they are part of our holiday festivities and lights? Springfield is scared to display the eight lights of the Menorah on its town hall grounds. In a township with a significant Jewish population, this slight is inexcusable and unbelievable in 2012. Mayor Shehady and his committee are making poor excuses to stifle a display of eight lights where over four hundred holiday lights are lit on the premises of town hall lawn. The Menorah is a symbol to Hanukkah just as the Christmas tree is to Christmas. The …
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Poll shows support for a Menorah outside of Town Hall, but comments show concerns.
While a majority of Springfield residents in Springfield Patch's informal poll said they favored having a Menorah outside of the municipal building as part of the the township's holiday celebration, a significant minority oppose the measure and several commenters voiced reservations about adding an overt religious symbol to the Springfield holiday display. Of the 87 votes in the poll, 63 respondents favored having a Menorah dispay and 24 opposed. In addition to voting in the poll, several readers took to the comments to debate the Menorah. While the Menorah would be fitting of the town in light of its considerable Jewish population, readers worry that the Menorah would be too overt of a religious symbol. Several readers drew a …
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Tell us what you think.
The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the annual question: should Springfield add a Menorah to the holiday decorations at town hall? Town hall sported a Menorah in the '80—see this story for background—but has since refrained from including the Hanukkah symbol. What do you think? Tell us in the poll below. Keep the conversation going by liking Springfield Patch on Facebook.
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Springfield Municipal Building
100 Mountain Ave, Springfield, NJ
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Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Is Springfield's holiday display not inclusive?
The lights adorning Springfield’s Municipal Building are down. Nonetheless, they were the center of a public debate about whether the town is doing right by its Jewish population with a winter holiday display lacking depictions of Judaism. During public comments session of Springfield’s annual reorganization meeting last month, township resident Gail Donner decried the lack of a menorah on town hall. “If Obama can have a menorah on the White House then we can have a Menorah here,” Donner said. Donner said she had repeatedly contacted members of the Township Committee and administration about her complaint. She said she was distressed to learn the Menorah once affixed to Springfield Town hall had been broken down by Springfield Public works…
Sharon Davis Katz
10:40 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Bravo , Gale! We had a Menorah on the front lawn for several years. Sadly, it was vandalized, but kept up. The Menorah was not paid for with resident tax dollars, as are the current decorations; the Chabad presented the Menorah to the town and another resident donated the security camera. A township Committe discussion over state vs religion took the 'religious' symbol away from the public land. … more ›