Hollywood, Fl - Judge Allows Synagogue To Continue Lawsuit

A federal judge gave leaders of a Hollywood synagogue the green light to continue their legal showdown against city officials who want the orthodox Jewish group out of a residential neighborhood.

U.S. District Court Judge Joan Lenard rejected the city's motion to dismiss a discrimination lawsuit filed by the Hollywood Community Synagogue Chabad Lubavitch. The group claims city officials violated their constitutional rights to exercise religion and their right to assemble when they denied the zoning variance based on religious denomination.

The battle between the Chabad and the city first came to light in late 2000 after the Jewish group, which owned two houses on North 46th Avenue near Sheridan Street, set on converting one of the homes into a synagogue for twice-daily services. The U.S. Department of Justice has since joined the Chabad in the lawsuit against the city. The judge last week dismissed a fraction of the group's complaints, but the core of the lawsuit remains intact.

City officials on Tuesday said the judge's ruling would not deter their fight against the lawsuit. "These complaints are based on allegations, and when it comes time to prove then, we're confident that we're going to win," City Attorney Dan Abbott said.