New Jersey rabbi who sued governor gets arrested for violating state's executive order
ASBURY PARK, N.J. - A New Jersey rabbi was arrested and charged with resisting arrest, obstructing the law and violating Gov. Phil Murphy's executive order Monday evening, according to court records.
The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office confirmed the rabbi arrested was Yisrael A. Knopfler.
On May 6, Knopfler joined a federal lawsuit brought by the Rev. Kevin Robinson of St. Anthony of Padua Church in North Caldwell, New Jersey, that takes aim at Murphy's social distancing requirements, arguing his orders violate First and Fourteenth amendment protections under the U.S. Constitution.
Murphy's March 21 directive banned all gatherings of individuals with limited exceptions, none including religious services. The complaint argues that churches could easily accommodate the kind of social distancing called for by Murphy in permitting certain commercial businesses to remain open.
Knopfler and the Catholic priest claim that the governor's restrictions under Executive Order 107 violate religious freedoms and equal protection under the Constitution.
"Governor Murphy's Executive Order 107 has drastically interfered in the practice of my Jewish faith," Knopfler said in his court filing.
The rabbi, who has a congregation of 50 people, claimed he has felt intimidated by township police who park outside his synagogue "clearly surveilling us to look for violations of Order 107."
Knopfler claimed that "because of this police interference, his congregation has changed the times of its Saturday prayer services, "as it appeared that the police had learned the regular times for our services from their surveillance."
Follow reporter Keith Schubert on Twitter at @keithsch94.
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