July 2019: toms river mayor mo hill poses with his council candidates and campaign supporters after 2019 election victory.
July 2019: Toms RIver Mayor Mo Hill poses with his council candidates and campaign supporters after 2019 election victory.

Orthodox Jewish Lobbyist Attacks Shore News Network at Public Meeting, But We’re Not Apologizing

by
March 25, 2021

TOMS RIVER, NJ – An Orthodox Jewish lobbyist who lobbied Toms River Mayor Mo Hill and the Township Council to reduce the town’s 10 acre zoning law on Tuesday lashed out at Shore News Network’s use of a photo in our news story as an attack on him.

This week, a lobbyist who pushed for that ordinance criticized in a public meeting our coverage of that story.

The facts of the matter in this story are quite clear and simple. Booky Kaluszyner, who self-described himself Tuesday night as a lobbyist is one of the leaders of the Toms River Jewish Community Council, often referred to as the Toms River VAAD.

The Toms River VAAD lobbied Mayor Maurice Hill and the township council to change the zoning. The VAAD also publicly endorsed Mo Hill, Matt Lotano, Kevin Geoghegan and Josh Kopp in the 2019 election.

The VAAD was present at Mo Hill’s election night win and celebrated their victory together in a hotel ballroom. Mo Hill’s campaign used a photo of Hill, Geoghegan, Lotano, Kopp, members of the Toms River VAAD and national Jewish lobbyist Avi Schnall, director of Agudath Israel of America as their campaign Facebook page’s main image.

Shore News Network used the photo used by the Hill campaign to promote their election victory.

Mr, Kalusznyer can claim using a picture supplied by the Hill campaign to promote their election win is anti-Semitic all he wants. Shore News Network stands by its decision to use a relevant picture to explain the full circle of political lobbying in Toms River and how a successful lobbying effort by the Toms River VAAD with Hill and the township council lead to the township’s eventual zoning change. The fact that some people may be members of the Jewish faith is completely irrelevant to the process.

Mr. Kaluszyner can bully and intimidate public officials into getting his way, but SNN will not be bullied by political lobbyists or politicians who cater to those lobbyists. We would like to congratulate Mr. Kaluszyner and his VAAD/Council for their hard-fought victory that has redrawn the town’s entire zoning map and master plan. If we ever need to lobby for something in Toms River, you will be the first lobbyist we call.

Shore News Network has provided extremely fair coverage over the years of the growth of the Orthodox Jewish community in Toms River, Jackson and elsewhere to the point where we have even been criticized for being too fair. We will never apologize for being fair, balanced and truthful.

-Phil Stilton, Editor, Shore News Network.

Phil Stilton
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Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

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