Photos: Menachem Kalish

A half hour away in Monsey, New York, Rabbi Aaron Fink is dean of Ateres Bais Yaakov, a 300-student girls’ school looking to expand. That being the case, Rabbi Fink purchased a two-acre property in nearby Nanuet and expected to close on the building sometime in January. But Nanuet residents are less than thrilled to have a Bais Yaakov in their neighborhood: A petition opposing the school has been signed by 2,300 residents and a recent town hall meeting turned raucous.

A well-circulated video clip shows Rabbi Fink rising to introduce himself at the town hall meeting and being shouted down almost immediately. “We are not here to buy homes or move in,” Rabbi Fink tries to explain. “We are here to educate our daughters.” But his pleas fell on deaf ears.

“We don’t want you here!” one angry resident shouts out.

To which Rabbi Fink responds, “That was the attitude in Pittsburgh. It doesn’t belong here in Nanuet.”

In an interview with Mishpacha, Rabbi Fink said the property is zoned for use as a church, a bible school, or an office building, and that the sale is legal. “We meet that criteria and there’s no reason it should be turned down.”

He adds, “If they’re smart, they’re not going to do anything that will leave them vulnerable to a lawsuit.”

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 738)