After a prolonged and contentious debate, including multiple appeals and community advocacy, a Westchester County town has reversed its decision to deny Chabad of Bedford a permit to hold its Tashlich ceremony in Leonard Park during Rosh Hashanah.

For the past five years, Chabad of Bedford in Bedford Corners, N.Y., has held the Tashlich service in Leonard Park in the nearby village of Mount Kisco. This year, however, their permit request was initially denied. Officials had cited a clause in the park’s deed that allegedly bans “religious events,” despite the same park having hosted a Christian gathering earlier this year.

“This is unfair,” Shliach to Bedford Rabbi Arik Wolf told JNS. “You’ve chosen to deny our permit without cause. We just ask for fairness.”

The ceremony, which typically draws about 100 people, involves no chairs, tables, or structures. “We go there because it is within walking distance to the Chabad House,” said Rabbi Wolf.

Wolf said he met with Mount Kisco Mayor Michael Cindrich for two hours last week but left without clarity. “It feels unusual,” he said. “We don’t understand why now, why the change? There has been no communication from the village, and so far, the village has refused to speak with our attorney.”

Last week, the Mount Kisco Recreation Commission finally voted to allow the event to proceed, ending the contentious debate over the park’s use. 

Mayor Cindrich told The Forward that after consulting legal counsel, “the recommendation was to move ahead with it and deal with other conflicts in the future.”

“I’m glad that they reconsidered,” said Rabbi Wolf. “They realized that a mistake was made, and they were able to backtrack and do the right thing for the community and for their constituents.”

“While the mayor has described the matter as ‘extremely complicated,’” said Lauren Israelovitch, a lawyer with the National Jewish Advocacy Center representing Chabad of Bedford, “the law is clear: blanket bans on religious activities in a park – without valid time, place, and manner restrictions – are unconstitutional.

For this year, the Tashlich ceremony will go forward. “I think it certainly will bring more people out this year who feel grateful that we’re able to exercise our rights,” Rabbi Wolf said.