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Lakewood Menorah To Remain In Place After It Comes Down Twice Following Complaint

LAKEWOOD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A menorah has been put back up in Lakewood, New Jersey, after the town took it down -- twice -- following a complaint.

As CBS2's Sonia Rincon reported, Lakewood is home to a large Orthodox Jewish community. But last week, a Christian resident demanded a nativity scene be put up next to the town's Christmas tree and menorah.

The woman claimed to be a member of the Calvary Lighthouse Church.

"We told them it's a religious article and we can't put it up," said Lakewood Mayor Albert Ackerman. "So she said, 'So is the menorah.'"

Ackerman, who is himself Jewish, claimed the woman threatened a lawsuit and insisted the menorah come down -- and it did. But on Friday, he said he regretted the decision.

"The original mistake was to take down the menorah – take down the township menorah – and originally, we were trying to protect the town," Ackerman said.

But the woman told CBS2 late Friday that she did not demand that the menorah come down, and said the claims that she threatened a lawsuit over the issue were not true.

The woman said she only asked the town to put up a nativity scene, and said she felt the town was being exclusive by celebrating Jewish holidays and not those of other faiths.

The pastor from the church the woman claimed backed her would not speak with CBS2.

After the menorah came down, local business owner Harold Herskowitz borrowed a spare menorah one from the town of Freehold and put it up. The town took the second menorah down on Wednesday, but Herskowitz put it back again -- saying the town shouldn't be caving to pressure from one person.

"If I thought she did it because of the love of her religion, I wouldn't be angry. But from what I understand from people who were at the meeting, she didn't do it for the love of her religion. She did it for the hate of my religion," Herskowitz said, "and at the time that we're going through right now – especially, you hear about Donald Trump and Muslims and how he wants to not allow Muslims into our country, these typep of things -- we have to stand tough on these issues, and we have to stand up for each other's religions."

Mayor Ackerman said even though the menorah now in place does not belong to the township, it won't be coming down. And there is overwhelming support for leaving it up.

"The popular opinion mostly by the non-Jewish people in the town is that we should have never taken it down and we should put it back up," he said, "and now that it's there, people are calling and saying, 'Don't you dare take it down.'"

Many residents agreed.

"As a Christian, as a citizen back in the day, I say leave it up there," said Efraim Freddy Ponce. "It doesn't bother anybody and it looks nice."

Herskowitz said the controversy evokes the very story of Chanukah.

"What the miracle of Chanukah is, is that they tried to destroy the temple. They tried to destroy the menorah," Herskowitz said.

But the menorah prevailed, and is expected to stay up through the holiday season.

Lakewood has had a Christmas tree and menorah as part of its display every holiday season for more than 30 years.

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