Credit: Chris English/NewtownPANow.com
The Newtown Township Zoning Hearing Board is set to make a decision at an upcoming meeting regarding The Borscht Belt Delicatessen’s appeal over a neon sign that township officials have claimed violates local ordinances.
The decision, which has garnered significant attention, stems from a dispute that began last year when the deli in the Village at Newtown South shopping center was cited for hanging a neon sign without prior approval.
The controversy escalated when the deli’s owners, Nick Liberato and Mike Dalewitz, chose to challenge the township’s decision.
At an appeal hearing on Thursday, The Borscht Belt Deli’s representatives argued that their case was one of selective enforcement.
Credit: Tom Sofield/NewtownPANow.com
According to a report by Newtown Patch, the attorney for the deli highlighted the prevalence of other neon signs in the township that they believe have been ignored and raised concerns of antisemitism due to the Jewish community’s historical connection to inspiration behind the deli.
The township’s attorney maintained that the deli’s sign breached the local ordinance, a stance supported by a September decision from township supervisors who opposed the neon window sign, according to the report.
The Borscht Belt Delicatessen is known for its New York-style Jewish deli offerings was first opened in Stockton, New Jersey, in June 2021. It moved to Newtown Township in the spring of 2023.
The deli recently expanded and opened a second location at St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown Township.
