By: Mark Fitzgerald Like a lot of good stories, the Chicago Jewish Star articles that inspired a proposed new city law started out as just a casual aside during a dinner conversation ? one of those "that can't possibly be true" tips.
Jewish Star Editor/Publisher Douglas Wertheimer was having dinner with a relative who told him of a friend whose condominium association had banned any "decorations" on doorways, including mezuzahs. As Wertheimer well knew, mezuzahs are hardly doorpost "decorations." Jews are commanded by Scripture to display the cylinders encasing a small strip of parchment inscribed with verses from Deuteronomy. It's a practice that's widely observed, even among secular Jews.
Wertheimer soon learned that there were at least two condo buildings whose associations banned affixing anything to doors.
When Chicago alderman Burt Natarus read about the mezuzah dust-up in the Jewish Star, he concluded there oughta be a law. In August, he introduced a new provision to the city's condominium ordinance that states "no person shall be denied the right to practice their religion by not being able to place or affix on the door, door post or entrance of the unit, a religious sign, symbol or relic."At deadline, the ordinance, which calls for a $300 fine for a first offense, had not yet come up for a vote by the full council, but it is expected to pass.
Natarus, one of two Jews on the city council, has a mezuzah on the door post of his condo. If anyone ordered him to take it down, he said in an article by Chicago Sun-Times City Hall Reporter Fran Spielman, "I'd fight 'em."
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