During the conference meeting of the Township Council on Monday, January 8, resident Saba Khan asked its members to recognize January as Muslim Heritage Month, which the Council agreed to do. New Jersey first established January as Muslim Heritage Month last spring, meaning this is the first month that it is officially recognized statewide.
The Council told Khan that they plan to pass a resolution during the January 22 meeting.
At the end of the conference meeting, other residents came in with concerns regarding the recognition. Specifically, they were worried that the town planned to fly the Palestinian flag in front of Town Hall, which the Council said was not the case.
Council member Shawn Klein said that recognizing Muslim Heritage Month is a way for the town to acknowledge that there are many good people who are Muslims. In doing so, he added, the Council can still fullyreject Hamas. Recognizing the month does not show a lack of respect for Jews, he said, as there is a difference between the Muslim community and Hamas.
While about half a dozen people attended the conference meeting in regard to this issue, many more attended the regular meeting that followed. When they learned that a Palestinian flag would not be flown, and no resolution was on the evening’s agenda, only a few chose to speak. One man, Ilya Novofastovsky cautioned against the flying of the Palestinian flag; he said that he was concerned that celebrating Muslim Heritage Month would become a comment on the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Another resident played a voicemail from an Israeli victim who was kidnapped by Hamas in October. She said that she chooses to stand with the victim, and asked the Council who they chose to stand with.
Palestinian Fliers
Resident Suzie Lugashi, asked what the town was doing in regard to pro-Palestine fliers that were posted around town, including near Livingston High School. She said she viewed the fliers as a form of terrorism and hate.
Township manager Barry Lewis said that the Livingston Police Department looked into the matter, and forwarded the information to the Essex County prosecutor’s office, but that it did not rise to the level of hate speech.
The fliers on public utility poles were, however, removed because posting anything on them is in violation of township code.
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