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Florida City Pays Chabad Damges and Attorneys Fees After Losing Zoning Case

By Howard M. Friedman

Last August, a federal jury awarded Chabad of Nova $325,750 in damages on its RLUIPA claim after a federal district court ruled in favor of Chabad on most of its challenges to a Cooper City (FL)'s zoning restrictions imposed on houses of worship. (See prior posting.) The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported yesterday that Cooper City's insurer has now agreed to pay the award, plus interest, to Chabad and to also pay $470,000 for Chabad's attorneys fees. Chabad Rabbi Shmuel Posner was forced to move to a shopping center in Davie (FL) after Cooper City prevented his Outreach Center from opening as he had originally-planned. Now Rabbi Posner says he hopes to return to Cooper City when space becomes available. [Thanks to both Steven H. Sholk and Joel Katz [Relg. & State In Israel] for the lead.]

Full post as published by Religion Clause on April 28, 2009 (boomark / email).