TOMS RIVER, NJ — Toms River officials are trying to quell anger in the township after ongoing tensions with the Orthodox Jewish community in Ocean County sparked outrage in the wake of a letter from the Toms River Police Department that was shared on social media over the weekend.

The letter from the police department, which was posted Friday by the Lakewood Scoop, explained Toms River ordinances governing the building of temporary structures for the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which begins in a couple of weeks. The letter also said residents who are going out of town for Rosh Hashanah, which begins Thursday, could notify the police department that they will be away if they wanted police to check on their homes. The letter drew an immediate and angry response from a number of Toms River residents, who accused the police department of providing special treatment to Jewish community.

"Would this be done for Christians at Christmas?" posed one Facebook comment on a post that tagged the police department. Another poster on the comment thread wrote: "Do they offer the same 'service' to lower income communities and other religious groups? ... You're supposed watch EVERYONE'S PROPERTY in the same exact manner." Toms River Mayor Thomas F. Kelaher issued a statement Tuesday responding to the angry comments, saying there is no special treatment being offered.



"That is categorically not the case," Kelaher's statement said. "The Township has always and will steadfastly continue to provide its services and enforce its ordinances on an equal basis. The policies and procedures referenced in the announcement are applicable and available to all Township residents uniformly, without regard to color, creed, or heritage. That is our country's way, and that is Toms River's way." "To the extent the announcement conveyed the opposite impression, that was unequivocally not how it was intended, and certainly not how the Police Department wanted it received," Kelaher's statement said.

Toms River Police Chief Mitchell Little said in a statement that the intent of the letter was to address potential issues before they arose.

"Although our letter was interpreted by some as too accommodating, its only intent was to make sure everyone installing Sukkahs did so safely and according to code. If we anticipate an issue we prefer to address it in a respectful, informative way instead of fielding complaints and enforcement later."

"We are doing everything in our power to make sure all residents follow the rules, laws and statutes in effect," Little said. A sukkah is a temporary dwelling built in the days following Yom Kippur for the celebration of Sukkot, according to the website Chabad.org. Rosh Hashanah, which begins Thursday, and Yom Kippur, which begins Sept. 29, are the two most important holidays of the Jewish faith.