Connecticut Woman Wins Battle To Keep Mezuzah On Condo

Barbara Cadranel will get to keep her mezuzah on the doorpost outside the front door of her Stratford condominium.

STRATFORD -- A week after a Stratford woman was ordered to remove the mezuzah on her doorframe, an attorney representing the condominium association where she lives issued an apology.

"The mezuzah stays up -- that's a no-brainer," said Kurt Ahlberg. "And there will be no fines. Anybody who wants to put a mezuzah up in the future may do so. We're sorry this happened."

The mezuzah affixed to condo resident Barbara Cadranel's doorpost became the subject of controversy last week when the California Condominium Association told her it must come down.

Hanging items from the doorpost without approval from the board is off-limits, according to the condo association's bylaws.

A mezuzah is a small object inscribed with Hebrew verses from the Torah placed on the doorpost of a Jewish family's home.

In addition to ordering that Cadranel take down the religious symbol of protection, the condo board said she must pay a $50 penalty for each day it remained on the doorframe.

Cadranel -- and members of the Jewish community -- said she felt like her religion was under attack, especially since there are crosses and Easter decorations on other residents' doors.

"Shocked is one word, but outraged, actually personally hurt," Cadranel said last week. "I was violated."

But Ahlberg on Tuesday said it was all a misunderstanding.

He said he was on vacation last week when Cadranel expressed outrage over the mezuzah incident to members of the local media. It wasn't until he returned this week that he learned what a mezuzah is, he said.

"I didn't realize and the board members didn't realize what a mezuzah was, and I didn't realize the significance of it being on the doorpost," the attorney said. "There was never any intention to be discriminatory to Ms. Cadranel. It was purely a misunderstanding."

Cadranel's attorney, Alyza Lewin of Washington, D.C., calls the California Condominium Association's apology a "wonderful result. It's a great outcome (obtained) without litigation."

CONNECTICUT POST