My name is Rich Siegel. I'm a 25-year homeowner here in Teaneck. I'm Jewish. The reason that I'm telling you that I'm Jewish is because I have a concern about something that's going on in the Jewish community. On March 10th, there is scheduled to be an Israeli real estate sales event at the Keter Torah Synagogue.
That event violates both domestic law and international law. Violates domestic law because we had a Civil Rights Act in 1965 and a Fair Housing Act in 1968. We don't allow real estate events to be for whites only, for Jews only, for anybody only. Now, as Jews, we don't get to fly under the radar and break the law and hide it in the synagogue.
It violates international law because West Bank settlement homes are going to be available for sale at this real estate event. On the website, it lists three different West Bank settlements. Those settlements are, in and of themselves, illegal by international law. If we allow this sale to go through, we are enabling a local synagogue domestic anti-discrimination laws and international law.
Now there are other reasons we shouldn't allow it, okay? There's a genocide going on right now. I don't care who that offends. More than 35,000 people have been killed. More than 13,000 children have been killed. People in this community are in deep mourning. People in this community are angry. I'm angry.
What this real estate event is going to do is it's going to fan the flames. If it goes forward, there will be a demonstration. I know there's going to be a demonstration because I'm going to organize it. It will be very well attended.
What I'm saying needs to be done is, I don't know how much power this mayor in this council have to actually shut down the event, but I know you have the power to recommend that it be shut down, and I'm asking you to please do it.
We don't need to have more divisiveness in this community, okay? We don't need to have Jewish privilege rule the day, by saying we're entitled to break the law and have this real estate event, and not care about how so many people in this community feel about it.
Thank you for letting me speak.