NJHN:

A vitriolic online discussion about building a school at Latteri Park shocked and angered city and Jewish leaders when Board of Education member Norman Tahan added his voice. Tahan, responding to a previous post on the nj.com Clifton forum, asked why observant Jewish residents outline a certain territory with a boundary, or eruv. “You mean they mark their territory like dogs?” he asked in his post of March 25.Tahan said he never meant his comment to be offensive, and apologized if it was. He said he was merely trying to clarify a previous post explaining what an eruv was.”It is extraordinarily upsetting,” said Julie Skolnik, a candidate for the Board of Education and daughter of Rabbi Stanley Skolnik of Beth Sholom Reform Temple in Clifton. Skolnik said she had seen the remarks online. “My child is a Jewish child in the public schools and does not deserve that by anyone, most especially by an adult and sitting member of the Board of Education.”Several board members reached Monday were offended by Tahan’s online remarks. Board President Joseph Kolodziej said censuring Tahan is an option, though he didn’t believe board members could remove him from office.The Anti-Defamation League has been notified of all the comments on the site, said Etzion Neuer, director of the League’s New Jersey office. The group will be watching the situation and possibly speaking out on the matter in the future, he said….