NEW YORK – The US District Court in Manhattan has dismissed a federal lawsuit against the Village of Kiryas Joel and its leadership by a group of so-called “dissidents” for lack of evidence and other reasons.

The “dissident” residents, 11 of whom filed the lawsuit, called for the village to be dissolved because they said it is a “theocracy” with its government leaders also serving as religious leaders in the main religious faction of the Hasidic Jewish community.

Village Administrator Gedalye Szegadin told MidHudsonNews.com that the court decision has lifted a “cloud hanging over the head of Kiryas Joel.” He said the village is providing essential services to all residents and complies with all state and federal laws.

Szegadin said hopefully in the future, disputes between neighbors will be settled in the ballot box, not in court.

The plaintiffs maintained the ruling faction “thwarted” their efforts to use a piece of residential property as a synagogue; that the village selectively enforces public speech ordinances to promote the main congregation; and that they were denied a permit to protest against the Grand Rebbe in front of his home.

The dissidents also claimed that the village public service department permitted school children to “blanket the village streets with hostile and harassing leaflets that contained the names, pictures and phone numbers of ‘dissidents’ who have married, or intent to marry… without the Grand Rebbe’s approval”; that “mobs of hundreds of [school boys] assaulted two dissidents” because the students were supported by the ruling group; and that developers are forced to create community rooms in any building they construct or pay a fine and that those rooms are used for religious purposes.

The court said some of the allegations were made by non-parties to the suit, and that others had no basis in proof. It also said allegations that the village is a theocracy have no merit since it is not illegal for leaders of a municipality to also be members of the clergy.