Liar, Liar

As reported by The Suburbanite on August 19, 2010:
Etz Chaim President Robert Erlich wrote in an e-mail that the community liaison position is not unique to this application, but that the BOA has required such a position for similar applications.

"We are pleased with the approval and we will comply with all conditions imposed," Erlich wrote.

Those were the WRITTEN words of Mr. Robert Erlich, president of Etz Chaim of Teaneck. Really? You will comply with EVERYTHING and are PLEASED with the approval?

Last night, at the BOA meeting to memorialize their decision regarding the approval of the variance and the restrictions that Robert Erlich wrote that Etz Chaim will comply with, Etz Chaim's lawyer tried to continue to push through changes to the restrictions placed on Etz Chaim. Sources reported that Robert Erlich yelled at Mr.Rosen of the BOA that he must approve the changes and memorialize them now. Robert yelled at the same BOA member that chastised Etz Chaim for their unethical actions and negative behaviors towards the neighbors. Will the BOA require a liason between the BOA and Etz Chaim and leaders get up 2 times a year to preach tolerance towards the BOA? Yelling at the people from whom you are requesting a favor is idiocy. The BOA did not memorialize any changes. Afterall, Robert is pleased with the original approval and will comply with everything. If not, he is a big fat liar!

Robert did not provide a verbal quote for the article voicing his acceptance of the BOA's decision, he EMAILED it. What changed since that email?

As reported in the previous post, Rabbi Daniel Feldman will be chasing the money and officiate selikhot at the Young Israel of Plainview. It appears that the ramifications of the restriction against conducting services outside of Shabbat and Yom Tov has sunk in and Etz Chaim is now fighting to get it removed. Robert Erlich has gone on record calling Etz Chaim a Private Prayer Group and Rabbi Feldman has gone on record that Etz Chaim only uses the house 3% of the week. They asked for it and they forcibly fought for it. Now they have to live with the result of their actions and their absentee Rabbi.

Sometimes you get EXACTLY what you request.

It Must Be Real It's in Newspapers.

This posting will be updated as more articles are printed.

I will be excerpting part of each article to highlight important parts

and inconsistencies between the writers. You can click on the links for complete articles.

1. BOA approves Etz Chaim variances; restrictions apply - Teaneck Suburbanite

Thursday, August 19, 2010

BY HOWARD PROSNITZ

TEANECK - After months of contentious hearings, the Board of Adjustment on Aug. 11 approved variances sought by Etz Chaim, an Orthodox Jewish organization, giving it the status of a house of worship and permitting it to hold religious services on its premises at 554 Queen Anne Road. However, the BOA imposed several restrictions on the organization’s use of the one family residentially-zoned home.

A super majority of five votes was required to approve the application, which included variances for parking and the use of a kitchen. With three members recusing themselves, including BOA chair Anne Senter, and two absent, only five voting members were left on the dais. A single negative vote would have blocked the application.

On at least one occasion during the hearings, Edward Trawinski, attorney for Etz Chaim, threatened to sue the township for discrimination.

Some of the restrictions imposed by the BOA limits religious services to the Sabbath and Jewish holidays and prohibits weekday morning and evening services; restricts life events (weddings, bar mitzvahs, funerals) to members of the congregation, prohibits cooking or catering, limits classes and workshops to one a month and prohibits signs without further application to the board. The BOA also required that Etz Chaim designate one of its members as liaison to the community and that the congregation’s leaders remind members at least twice a year to respect neighbors’ privacy.

But Ritvo said that the board could not restrict the congregation from applying for expansion in the future.

"The board cannot deny them the right to come back," he said.

Etz Chaim President Robert Erlich wrote in an e-mail that the community liaison position is not unique to this application, but that the BOA has required such a position for similar applications.

"We are pleased with the approval and we will comply with all conditions imposed," Erlich wrote.

Neighbors of 554 Queen Anne Road, a house that Etz Chaim acquired from Mario Guralink, a member of the congregation, have contended that the group has dealt duplicitously with them and with the township, conducting full scale, regularly scheduled religious services since 2007 while claiming that the house was the residence of Rabbi Daniel Feldman who, according to the neighbors, conducted private prayer meetings in his family room.

Guralink retains ownership of an adjacent house at 576 Queen Anne Road and neighbors are concerned that the two houses will eventually be combined, or both demolished, to construct a large synagogue at the site.

In 2007, a family room was added to the house and other substantial renovations were made. The family room, which contains an Ark and Torah scrolls, is used for services. In August 2008, Township building official Steven Gluck ordered the organization to cease from conducting public worship in the house. Following Gluck’s order, Etz Chaim filed the application for a BOA hearing. The congregation had been permitted to continue to hold services pending the outcome of the hearings.

As far back as 2007 a petition signed by 78 neighbors alleging that the house was being used illegally for religious services was presented to township officials.

Months prior to Etz Chaim’s application to the BOA, the organization had produced a brochure requiring members and new members to contribute $5,000 toward a building fund.

BOA member Harvey Rosen, who voted "reluctantly" in favor of the application, chastised the congregation’s leaders from the dais.

"From the first meeting it has been evident that the applicant has exhibited reprehensible behavior. As a member of their religion I am ashamed at some of their behavior," he said at the hearing.

He noted that in his seven years on the BOA he has dealt other contentious and emotional cases involving houses of worship. But in every other case, he said, the community and the applicant have resolved their differences.

"From day one when they began operating as a quasi-not for profit their behavior has been surreptitious and anything but forthcoming," he said.

He urged the township officials to be vigilant in enforcement of the restrictions: "Perhaps more vigilant than in other cases because of the behavior that the applicant has exhibited."

In an interview, Griggs Avenue resident Janet Abbott, one of the protesting neighbors, said that the BOA’s decision was fair.

"The fact that they had a number of stipulations reflected some of the concerns we raised. We are pleased that we were heard and we are glad for the congregation that they can have their services and that everything is above board," Abbott said.

E-mail: suburbanite@northjersey.com

Its A PPG!

PPG ≠ Power Play Goal (Sorry Zach)

Shluffenheimer MacDougal would like to wish
a hearty Scottish Mazal Tov to
Etz Chaim for getting their approval
from BOA on Wednesday August 11, 2010.

I'm sure there will NOT be a kiddush this week or a special L'chaim to celebrate.
There will be no ticker tape parades down Cedar Lane or Queen Anne Rd. for that matter.
CareOne will not be putting postings on TeaneckShuls to help you with a minyan and NNJ Kids will not make a monthly donation to your PPG.

Based on initial reports from the BOA meeting, Etz Chaim members are POed. They got their approval but there are A LOT of restrictions that they will have to obey.

Personally, I don't understand why they are upset.



From Day 1 President Robert Erlich has claimed that Etz Chaim is a Private Prayer Group and runs within the constraints of a PPG. In a response to an article in The Jerusalem Post Robert Erlich wrote:
A reply from Teaneck
Sir, - Marilyn Henry's article about the Teaneck, New Jersey, Etz Chaim variance hearing egregiously misrepresents and mischaracterizes many of the elements of our situation, and in doing so unfairly terms my testimony either "clever or deceptive" ("A house, or a house of prayer?," December 27). In truth, the article is deceptive in taking the ancillary statement of a technical legal distinction and wrongly portraying it as the relevant question at hand. The distinctions between a private prayer group and a house of worship, in our case, are numerous and not at all accurately depicted in this column. Our group meets at the rabbi's house only on days when driving is forbidden, meeting at all other times and for all other functions at other locations; no other synagogue-type functions take place at the house, which is not the mailing address or corporate office of the organization; the house is a full-time, round-the-clock private residence of a family of five, maintaining a residential look, with no permanent fixtures of a house of worship; among several other distinctions.

The Rabbi of this PPG, Rabbi Feldman, claimed in The Jewish Standard that:
The rabbi disputed the change-of-use argument saying that of the 168 hours in a week, only five are devoted to religious services at the house, which are held Friday night and Saturday morning and afternoon. “That’s 3 percent of the time,” he said. “It is our understanding, confirmed in two meetings with the township, that [a] prayer group in the house is a permitted residential use. Thus, we do not believe that the use has been changed in any way.”

Coincidentally, again based on early reports, most of the stipulations that the BOA have attached to Etz Chaim's approval are consistent with Robert Erlich and Rabbi Feldman's descriptions of what Etz Chaim of Teaneck really is.

It is a PPG - Private Prayer Group!

So, Mazal Tov to Etz Chaim of Teaneck on getting township approval to be all the Township will limit them to be, a PPG.
I'm sure there were easier ways to get Rabbi Feldman a house.

Surefire Way To Get Approved on Wednesday

This was forwarded to me and I feel it is good solid vital advice for Etz Chaim, Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman, its moral compass, Robert Erlich, its fearless figurehead president and its planning committee puppets to use on Wednesday at the BOA meeting.

It is a surefire way to get the approvals you need for 554 Queen Anne Rd from the township:

Building permit

I just applied for a building permit for a new house.

It was going to be 100 ft tall and 400 ft wide with 9 turrets
at various heights and windows all over the place and a
loud outside entertainment sound system.
It would have parking for 200 old cars and I was going
to paint it snot green with tatty pink trim.

The City Council told me to get lost.

So I sent in the application again,

but this time I called it a

Mosque.

Work starts on Monday

The Guralnik Connection

Robert Erlich and Rabbi Daniel Feldman claim that there is no connection between Mario (Mordechai) Guralnik and Etz Chaim. Mr. Guralnik is not involved with running or operating Etz Chaim. Something happened to convince the neighbors otherwise:

This is from The Bergen Record December 16, 2009
Part of the hostility stems from long-standing tension between the neighbors and another resident, Mario Guralnik, who owns the house next door and once sent letters to the neighbors about combining the two properties to form a "synagogue center," before Feldman moved in.

That's pretty wild. What did Robert Erlich, the President of Etz Chaim have to say about these letters?

This is from The Bergen Record on December 18, 2009.
Robert Erlich, the president of Etz Chaim, was the sole witness to testify, first under examination from his attorney and then from several residents who were clearly dubious about the group's plans.

Several neighbors brought up two letters sent in 2006 on behalf of Mario Guralnik, who owns the adjacent home and is a member of Etz Chaim. The letters claimed the two properties would be combined to form a synagogue center.

Erlich said repeatedly that the letters were written before his group even existed.

"I can't emphasize this enough," Erlich said. "That letter preceded any thought of my organization purchasing the property. That letter has nothing to do with the proceeding tonight or with what goes on at 554 Queen Anne Road."

Guralnik has said the letters were intended as a courtesy and that the plans fell through.

In fact at the Board of Adjustments hearing on December 16, 2009 Erlich went as far as saying that he doesn't know the person who wrote the letters. This is from the transcript from that hearing:

MS. CAMPEAS: I'm sorry. I want to know why the neighbors on my block as far back as three years ago received threatening letters from somebody that's still untraceable, but came from 576 Queen Anne Road talking about a mikvah being built there, an original bath which is quite a large building, and also --
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Wait, wait, wait. That's one question, right?
MS. CAMPEAS: Well, there are three parts to it.
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Well, just one question at a time.
MS. CAMPEAS: Okay.
THE WITNESS: 576 is not a part of this variance hearing.
MS. CAMPEAS: Why was there a hole opened between the fence where the children from your family room are playing in the backyard of 576?
MR. RITVO: Let me help you, ma'am, if I could. Do you know anything about the letters that she's describing?
THE WITNESS: Since they've come up on blogs, et cetera.
MR. RITVO: Did you know about these letters three years ago?
THE WITNESS: No.
MR. RITVO: To your knowledge did anyone in your congregation, that's associated with your group or congregation write those letters?
THE WITNESS: No one in an official capacity.

MACDMUSINGS BREAK IN THE ACTION:
PRESIDENT ROBERT ERLICH JUST SAID THAT THE PERSON WHO WROTE THE LETTERS DOES NOT REPRESENT HIS CONGREGATION IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY.


MR. RITVO: Well, does official --
VOICE: Official.
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Do you know if anyone that wrote these letters?
THE WITNESS: I do not know the person who wrote the letter.
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Do you know.
MEMBER LEVINE: What is 576?
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Okay, let's -- sir, Mr. Erlich, just so we can get to this. Do you know about these letters? Have you heard about them?
THE WITNESS: I've seen letters writ by a woman named Betty Gable. I've not -- I do not know who she is.
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: You don't know who she is?
THE WITNESS: No.
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Is she a member of your congregation?
THE WITNESS: No.
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Has she ever tried to join the congregation.
THE WITNESS: No.

MACDMUSINGS BREAK IN THE ACTION:
PRESIDENT ROBERT ERLICH JUST SAID THAT THE PERSON WHO WROTE THE LETTERS IS NOT A MEMBER OF HIS CONGREGATION NOR DOES HE KNOW WHO THE PERSON IS.


ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Okay. Does 576 belong or associated with your property?
THE WITNESS: Absolutely not.
MS. CAMPEAS: The letter, okay --
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Is there a hole in a fence where your congregation can go onto the property of 576?
THE WITNESS: No, there is not.
VOICE: As of last week.
MS. CAMPEAS: How do I put into a
question I beg to differ?
But anyway what I'd like to say is that the letter actually came from 554/576. These were letters that were sent to us, and it was called the New Nosic (phonetic) congregation and it was considered -- they wanted to be called the Treasure of Teaneck?
MR. RITVO: Let me stop you, ma'am.
MS. CAMPEAS: So I want to know about this.
MR. RITVO: Let me explain the process, please for your own benefit.
MS. CAMPEAS: Yes.
MR. RITVO: This is a time Mr. Chairman has set for you to ask questions.
MS. CAMPEAS: Yes.
MR. RITVO: You can raise whatever issues you wish in questions about this and then when it's your turn to present proofs or testimony.
MS. CAMPEAS: Uh-huh.
MR. RITVO: You can rebut it, and present whatever proofs you have about where the letter came from and why you think it's relevant for the Board to consider.
MS. CAMPEAS: I can say so --
MR. RITVO: But now is the time question.
MS. CAMPEAS: Okay. So I want to know --
MR. RITVO: If you think of a question --
MS. CAMPEAS: Okay. I will continue with a question, sir.
I want to know why these letters were sent from both residences to us if there is no connection between the two?
THE WITNESS: I can't answer for something that was done before we owned the residence.
MS. CAMPEAS: That's okay. Thank you.


Mr. Robert Erlich was caught in what is known as a LIE. He has been President of Etz Chaim since its existence. He is privy to ALL the information of their planning and operations meetings. He is the boss and he is the President. Mr. Guralnik admitted in news articles that he wrote the letters. Isn't he a member of Etz Chaim? You know who he is, you know he's a member and you know that he prays there.
Maybe this next article will refresh Robert's memory:

From The Bergen Record December 18, 2008
The origins of the dispute stem from years of quarreling between Mordechai “Mario” Guralnik, who owns the adjacent property at 576 Queen Anne Road and prays with Etz Chaim, and some of his neighbors.

After neighbor complaints, Guralnik was cited for various zoning violations in 2006 and 2007, including running a business from his home. Guralnik pleaded guilty to all the charges and paid fines, according to court records.

Soon after the first citation, neighbors received two letters six months apart in 2006 announcing plans to build a “synagogue center” on both properties at 554 and 576 Queen Anne Road.

Several neighbors took the letters as veiled threats. Though Guralnik and Feldman say they have no concrete plans at present to build a synagogue, the neighbors see the prayer group as the first step in that direction — without having submitted to the zoning process.

“It was clearly done to intimidate people,” Abbott said of the letters. “That sort of set a frame. And then when these other things started happening, and there was no process, it just became a very threatening experience.”

Guralnik said that the letters were meant to be informative and that the plans simply fell through.

Feldman said he was aware of the problems between Guralnik and some neighbors but said they had nothing to do with Etz Chaim, which is not run or operated by Guralnik

But that is not the case. He is very much involved and runs and operates a part of Etz Chaim. Robert Erlich testified that the writer of the letters does not represent or have anything to do with Etz Chaim. Rabbi Daniel Feldman intimated that Etz Chaim is not run or operated by Mario Guralnik. Well Rabbi Feldman, how do you explain etzchaimteaneck.org and other Etz Chaim of Teaneck online endeavors?

I cut the through the fake information posted on whois.com (as discussed on http://macdmusings.blogspot.com/2010/04/whois-etzchaimteaneckorg.html) and got to the real information about Rabbi Feldman's website.

I searched on http://cqcounter.com/whois/ and got the REAL information of who is the registrar and administrator behind etzchaimteaneck.org. It is a SHOCKER!

ETZCHAIMTEANECK.ORG - Domain Information
Domain ETZCHAIMTEANECK.ORG [ Site Info Traceroute RBL/DNSBL lookup ]
Registrar Register.com Inc. (R71-LROR)
Whois server whois.publicinterestregistry.net
Created 26-May-2008
Updated 12-Apr-2010
Expires 26-May-2010
Time Left 41 days 23 hours 24 minutes
Status CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
DNS servers DNS010.D.REGISTER.COM 216.21.236.10
DNS039.C.REGISTER.COM DNS039.C.REGISTER.COM
DNS152.A.REGISTER.COM DNS152.A.REGISTER.COM
DNS186.B.REGISTER.COM DNS186.B.REGISTER.COM

ETZCHAIMTEANECK.ORG - Geo Information
IP Address 96.9.36.174
Host etzchaimteaneck.org
Location US, United States
City New York, NY 10018
Organization Register.com
ISP Register.com
AS Number AS16805
Latitude 40°75'53" North
Longitude 73°99'24" West
Distance 7580.58 km (4710.35 miles)
Map Location World Map Google Maps Yahoo Maps Microsoft Live Maps

ETZCHAIMTEANECK.ORG - Whois Information
NOTICE: Access to .ORG WHOIS information is provided to assist persons in
determining the contents of a domain name registration record in the Public Interest Registry
registry database. The data in this record is provided by Public Interest Registry
for informational purposes. This service is intended only for query-based access. You agree
that you will use this data only for lawful purposes and that, under no
circumstances will you use this data to: (a) allow, enable, or otherwise
support the transmission by e-mail, telephone, or facsimile of mass
unsolicited, commercial advertising or solicitations to entities other than
the data recipient's own existing customers; or (b) enable high volume,
automated, electronic processes that send queries or data to the systems of
Registry Operator or any ICANN-Accredited Registrar, except as reasonably
necessary to register domain names or modify existing registrations. All
rights reserved. Public Interest Registry reserves the right to modify these terms at any
time. By submitting this query, you agree to abide by this policy.

Domain ID:D152819415-LROR
Domain Name:ETZCHAIMTEANECK.ORG
Created On:26-May-2008 14:51:25 UTC
Last Updated On:12-Apr-2010 19:37:03 UTC
Expiration Date:26-May-2010 14:51:25 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:Register.com Inc. (R71-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant ID:35006118636c1072
Registrant Name:admin3 etzchaimteaneck
Registrant Street1:554 Queen Anne Road
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Teaneck
Registrant State/Province:NJ
Registrant Postal Code:07666
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:+1.2019280700
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:admin3@etzchaimteaneck.org
Admin ID:2435674863943369
Admin Name:admin3 etzchaimteaneck
Admin Street1:554 Queen Anne Road
Admin Street2:
Admin Street3:
Admin City:Teaneck
Admin State/Province:NJ
Admin Postal Code:07666
Admin Country:US
Admin Phone:+1.2019280700
Admin Phone Ext.:
Admin FAX:
Admin FAX Ext.:
Admin Email:admin3@etzchaimteaneck.org
Tech ID:0261453863c67747
Tech Name:Domain Registrar
Tech Organization:Registercom
Tech Street1:575 8th Avenue
Tech Street2:
Tech Street3:
Tech City:New York
Tech State/Province:NY
Tech Postal Code:10018
Tech Country:US
Tech Phone:+1.9027492701
Tech Phone Ext.:
Tech FAX:+1.9027492701
Tech FAX Ext.:
Tech Email:domainregistrar@register.com
Name Server:DNS152.A.REGISTER.COM
Name Server:DNS186.B.REGISTER.COM
Name Server:DNS039.C.REGISTER.COM
Name Server:DNS010.D.REGISTER.COM
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
DNSSEC:Unsigned

So etzchaimteaneck.org was registered and is administraed by someone with the address 554 Queen Anne Rd, Teaneck, NJ and the phone number (201)928-0700. I assumed that it was Rabbi Feldman's phone number because he lives there.

You know what they say about ASS - U - ME ing

I did a reverse phone number search of (201)928-0700 on whitepages.com and guess who came up?

Mario Guralnik
576 Queen Anne Rd
Teaneck, NJ 07666-3328
(201) 928-0700
Job: Community Clinical Research Center, Member

On May 26, 2008 Mario Guralnik created Etz Chaim's website. On December 18, 2008 Rabbi Daniel Feldman intimated that Etz Chaim is not run or operated by Mario Guralnik and Robert Erlich testified on December 16, 2009, that the writer of the letters does not represent or have anything to do with Etz Chaim. He also said that 576 Queen Anne Rd has no connection to 554 Queen Anne Rd. No hole in the gate between the two properties and no parking guarantees from 576 Queen Anne or furniture built there and transported through the fence. Most of all, the owner/operator of their website used that property's phone number to register etzchaimteaneck.org. I guess there is no earthly connection, only an internet connection.

Rabbi Feldman, you must have lied for the sake of shalom, right?