“All our agreements for the holidays are in place for this year, and (the board is) not going to consider the issue until next year,” said Chip Steiner, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority.
Chabad of Fort Collins no Menorah in Plaza this Year
FT COLLINS, CO — The owner of Old Town Square decided Thursday to keep its current holiday display policy of allowing only secular symbols on the plaza – at least until next year.
“All our agreements for the holidays are in place for this year, and (the board is) not going to consider the issue until next year,” said Chip Steiner, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority.
“We will not have a menorah on the plaza this year, maybe next year.”
In 2005 and 2006, the DDA turned down requests from Rabbi Yerachmiel Gorelik of the Chabad Jewish Center of Northern Colorado to display a menorah at Old Town Square during the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah.
The DDA owns the plaza at Old Town Square but not the surrounding buildings, which are privately owned.
The city’s Holiday Display Task Force recommended Tuesday that a multicultural, educational display be created outside the Fort Collins Museum that would represent a variety of religious and nonreligious winter holidays. The City Council will vote on the recommendations Nov. 20.
Gorelik said he did not request that the DDA allow a menorah this year because the task force was still meeting to review the city’s holiday policy. In past years, the DDA’s holiday display policy has mirrored the city’s policy.
“We hope that the DDA will take the city’s lead and allow for a similar display,” said Gorelik, who is not a member of the task force.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that the menorah is a religious symbol but when placed in a display with secular symbols is not considered an endorsement of religion.
“The board felt there was nothing to change for this year plus they want to study the city’s decision, which we tend to follow,” Steiner said.
As in the past two years, CooperSmith’s Pub & Brewery will display the menorah on its patio. Chabad will host a community menorah lighting at 5 p.m. Dec. 9 on the restaurant’s leased property at 5 Old Town Square. Hanukkah begins at sundown Dec. 4.
The Holiday Display Task Force is comprised of 15 citizens from a variety of faiths and organizations. Under the task force’s recommendation, Fort Collins Museum staff would decide what was included in the educational holiday display. The task force proposed examples of objects that could be included, such as a crèche with a star above it, a menorah and a Yule log, among others.
“Our hope was that if the city adopts our recommendations, perhaps the DDA would conform to the city’s policy,” said Howard Cohen, one of the spokesmen for the task force. “Realistically, we would like to have a unified policy.”
Steiner said members of the task force were welcome to attend the DDA’s public meeting Dec. 13 and address the board, but that the topic would not be placed on the regular agenda. Steiner said he expected the board to address the DDA’s holiday display policy during the first quarter of 2008.
“The only thing that occurs in Old Town Square now are white lights and a Santa Claus,” he said.
