War on Chanukah Rages at Tony E. Side Building

Forget the War On xmas, a building on the East Side has become ground zero for the War On Hanukkah. The board of 2 Beekman Pl. has refused a resident’s pleas for a menorah in the lobby to accompany the co-op’s elegant nine-foot tree.

The board’s reasoning? A xmas tree isn’t a religious celebration, but merely a nonreligious symbol of the winter season.

“There is a legitimate view that the tree is a holiday decoration, not a celebration of xmas,” Alann Dinkoff, a co-op board member, told the resident, Charles Mirotznik, in a letter. “It was put there, like the poinsettias, as holiday decorations.

“The tree was placed in the lobby as it has always been as part of the tradition of the building.”

Mirotznik had fired the first shot in the seasonal war last week, demanding a menorah as a show of good faith. This week, he was outraged by the board’s intransigence.

“The White House has a menorah and the White House stands for what? Democracy in America, right? If we can’t get it together in a co-op, you think we can get it together in the world?” said an exasperated Mirotznik, 59.

The board didn’t reject Mirotznik outright. Rather, Dinkoff replied it would consider his request for the nine-stemmed symbol of Jewish resistance — next year.

“This year’s decorations were based on long-standing building tradition, and we think that any changes should wait until next year after we have the opportunity to give these difficult issues the necessary thought,” wrote Dinkoff in an exchange provided by Mirotznik.

For for now, any lighting of candles at 2 Beekman Pl. during the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah will take place behind closed doors in the building, which overlooks the East River. The holiday ends Saturday night.

The board’s chutzpah left some residents aghast.

“I’m pleased with the decorations,” said Bonnie Korn, 67, alluding to the elegant tree adorned with red ornaments. “But there should be some consideration for those of us who are Jewish.

”It’s coming to the point where I’m going to plug in a menorah myself.”

Another resident, David McVey, said the board “is very fussy about what they put in the lobby.”

“They may want to go out and buy an antique silver (menorah), they may decide they want something Art Deco,” McVey, 70, added.

Dinkoff would not comment on the kvetching.

But Mirotznik wasn’t buying the notion that a tree was akin to mistletoe or another innocuous sign of holiday cheer.

“This is an exclusionary policy — nothing to do with decorations,” Mirotznik said. “It’s hogwash. It’s not a decoration, it’s a symbol of religion. No doubt about it.”