Councilman David G. Greenfield personally asked the members of the New York City Commission on Human Rights to stop targeting a group of Brooklyn store owners who posted signs in their windows requesting that customers abide by their religious-based dress code.

During the telephone conversations this week with the commission members, including Chairwoman Patricia Gatling, Councilman Greenfield expressed how upset the Orthodox Jewish community is with the Human Rights Commission’s decision to sue store owners along Lee Avenue in Williamsburg for posting signs asking customers to dress modestly. Greenfield requested that each commission member ask the HRC to withdraw its lawsuit against the store owners, which is scheduled for a two-day administrative trial in January. The signs posted in the store windows simply read, “No shorts; no barefoot; no sleeveless; no low cut necklines; thank you” or something similar and were not the subject of any formal complaints by members of the public.

“This is only the latest example of New York’s bureaucracy singling out Orthodox Jewish citizens. It’s another clear example of government needlessly overstepping its authority. After all, this request that customers abide by a dress code is no different than a fancy restaurant requiring jackets or a nightclub banning casual clothes, and yet places like Le Bernardin are not being targeted by the commission,” said Councilman Greenfield.

Among his conversations, Councilman Greenfield spoke with commission members Rabbi Joseph Potasnik and Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, both of whom agreed with Greenfield that the Human Rights Commission was going too far.

“In my conversations with the commissioners and the chair, I conveyed my deep concern over the negative message that is being sent to the Orthodox Jewish community. I remain hopeful that the commissioners will carefully consider their staff’s actions and instruct them to end this lawsuit immediately,” said Councilman Greenfield.

(YWN Desk – NYC)