Village Clerk Robin Dumont added the topic to Tuesday’s meeting agenda after receiving numerous inquiries over two days from residents regarding tax exemptions for Orthodox Jewish communities.

“I asked the board to look into this issue because I’m fed up, people in the village and the city continue to bring these concerns to me,” Dumont said after the meeting.

Although Dumont said the individuals may have expressed complaints about the recent sale of the Melour Resort, 6302 Main St., Dumont said.

After selling the hotel a few years ago, Dumont received many inquiries about Orthodox Jewish communities receiving tax exemptions on properties they purchase, she said. She did not say who or what organization purchased the hotel.

“I’m going to address the elephant in the room,” Trustee George Kelly said during the meeting. “We received accusations and people came into our office. Here’s the elephant: people wonder why Jews get tax exemptions while no one else does?

There is a persistent rumor in the village that Jews are settling in the area and not paying taxes, but he said that is not true. As a Catholic, it is his responsibility to defend all individuals, regardless of their faith, from the harm caused by religious bigotry, said Kelly, whose wife is Jewish.

“It is important to protect everyone and ensure that no one is unfairly targeted because of their religious beliefs,” he said. “My position is to oppose this type of discrimination, and we must be vigilant in addressing it. I am in no way playing politics when such serious topics are on the board of directors’ agenda. I hope you all understand that religious groups who own homes here have a God-given right to live without facing this kind of horrible disregard for their beliefs.

Anti-Semitic rhetoric and rumors have no place in the village, Kelly said.

“I don’t really know who is spreading these rumors, but I don’t care,” Kelly said. “Let us protect everyone in our village from religious fanatics and hateful and biased individuals. The Jewish community has the right to walk, pray and live in peace. »

The day after the meeting, Kelly said the Melor Resort had been purchased by a group of individuals, some of whom are Orthodox Jews. He added, however, that the sale took place three years ago and the rumors had since gotten out of control.

“I understand why Dumont brought up the complex,” Kelly said. “There are so many rumors flying around that it’s becoming exhausting to keep hearing them, and the chatter has only intensified since the hotel was sold.”

People often try to distinguish between what they consider to be the right kind of Jewish person, and Kelly says he’s had enough.

He added that although the mayor and (Kelly’s) wife are Jewish, they don’t face the same criticism, probably because of their appearance.

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“I’m absolutely sick of hearing people complain about what they consider to be the ‘good kind’ of Jew,” Kelly said. “If you think I’m going to stand idly by while you point out that my wife and others can be accepted, but the man in the black coat is a ‘bad Jew,’ I don’t know what to tell you. intolerance that we all know exists, and I will continue to fight it.

He added that although the mayor and his wife are Jewish, they do not face the same criticism as Orthodox Jews, probably because of their appearance.

“We (the council) will not tolerate this and we will defend all residents of the village, whether they are Catholic, Protestant, Methodist, Jewish or Muslim,” Mayor David Schneider said at the meeting.

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