Chabad Lubavitch loses Litchfield discrimination case

LITCHFIELD, CT—A lawsuit by a Jewish group claiming town officials discriminated against it in Nazi-style fashion for denying plans to greatly expand a historic building for use as a synagogue and community center has been dismissed in U.S. District Court.

As the Borough of Litchfield—a sub-layer of town government—celebrated victory in the longstanding case that divided the community, the possibility of an appeal was raised by Rabbi Joseph I. Eisenbach, head of the group Chabad Lubavitch of Northwest Connecticut.

In an e-mail, Rabbi Eisenbach said, “Our hopes for being able to build our FULL synagogue, has met a little bump in the road.”

“Our counsel and board are reviewing the legal documents, and deciding our next step,” the rabbi added. “Chabad philosophy teaches us that the darkest moment of the night comes right before dawn.”

The darkest moment for Chabad was the brightest for Litchfield Borough officials, who always argued that the Historic District Commission’s decision to deny the expansion of a building on West Street in the town center was never anything but a carefully reasoned land-use decision. CONTINUE...