TOMS RIVER-The Toms River Chabad can continue to operate according to a ruling made by U.S. Judge Freda Wolfson. Wolfson said the township was in violation for requiring the Chabad to appear before the municipal board for a variance.
According to the ruling the township violated the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act and the Fair Housing Act.
Wolfson also ordered the township to pay Rabbi Moshe Gourarie $122,500 and dismissed all pending violations against Gourarie and the Chabad.
Going forward, the judge also ordered that the court shall retain jurisdiction over the settlement and action to enforce the terms of the order. Wolfson also ordered the township to drop all zoning and building violations against the Chabad.
Part of the order also maintains that the Chabad may not allow visitors to park vehicles directly on Church Road and caps occupancy at the facility at 35 people, excluding certain holidays where the cap is increased to 49.