Airmont is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

in the town of Ramapo,

Rockland County Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is about from the Bronx at their closest points. The county's population, as of th ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, United States, located north of the state of

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, east of Suffern, south of Montebello, and west of Chestnut Ridge. The population was 8,628 at the 2010 census. The village of Airmont, incorporated in 1991, is a consolidation of the hamlets of Tallman, Airmont and South Monsey. Joseph Berger of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' wrote in a 1997 article that Airmont was one of several Ramapo villages formed "to preserve the sparse Better Homes and Garden ambiance that attracted them to Rockland County." In 2005, Peter Applebome of ''The New York Times'' said that Airmont was "slapped around enough by the courts to be something other than a virginal player in any discrimination case" since it ran into legal resistance to its development laws.Applebome, Peter.
Where Zoning Seems a Test of Tolerance
" ''

''. June 15, 2005. Retrieved on May 2, 2009.

History

In April 1991, creation of the village of Airmont was allowed in the town. Airmont had 9,500 people, including around 250

Orthodox Jews Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Jewish theology, Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Or ...

and many non-Orthodox Jews. The founders of the town said that they intended for "strong zoning" to preserve the character of the community.

William P. Barr William Pelham Barr (born May 23, 1950) is an American attorney who served as the 77th and 85th United States attorney general in the administrations of Presidents George H. W. Bush and Donald Trump. Born and raised in New York City, Barr ...

, the

United States Attorney General The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...

, and

Otto G. Obermaier Otto George Obermaier (born April 16, 1936) was the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York from September 1989 until February 1993. He was appointed to this position by George H. W. Bush. Obermaier was raised in Manhattan ...

, the

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York is the chief federal law enforcement officer in eight New York counties: New York (Manhattan), Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess and Sullivan. Establishe ...

, filed a suit against Airmont and the town of Ramapo; Barr and Obermaier said that Airmont created a zoning plan intended to exclude Orthodox Jews from living in the village and "that other individuals acting at the behest of the defendants have engaged in a pattern of harassment against Orthodox Jews in the village."Sullivan, Ronald.
Rockland County Village Accused of Bias in Zoning
" ''

''. December 18, 1991. The officials cited the

Fair Housing Act The Civil Rights Act of 1968 () is a landmark law in the United States signed into law by United States President Lyndon B. Johnson during the King assassination riots. Titles II through VII comprise the Indian Civil Rights Act, which applie ...

as the relevant law.UNITED STATES FILES CIVIL RIGHTS SUIT AGAINST THE VILLAGE OF AIRMONT, NEW YORK
." ''

United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United State ...

''. June 13, 2005. The plaintiffs said that, because many Orthodox do not travel by car on Saturdays, preventing the creation of a

synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...

would exclude Orthodox from the community. The

Anti-Defamation League The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), formerly known as the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, is an international Jewish non-governmental organization based in the United States specializing in civil rights law. It was founded in late Septe ...

of B'nai B'rith supported the suit. The Spring Valley Chapter of the

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. ...

had opposed the creation of Airmont. As a result of the suit Airmont revised its zoning code to allow religious sites. Airmont's zoning restricted synagogues to lots, which were too costly for most Orthodox congregations. A federal judge ruled that the code was discriminatory and ordered Airmont to revise the code; the legal case continued by 1997. Around 2005, Congregation Mischknois Lavier Yakov proposed building a

yeshiva A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are s ...

and a boarding school with a 70-adult student dormitory (with provisions for their families, which could result in a population of several hundred individuals) on of land. Town residents opposed this, causing legal action including meetings and lawsuits. In 2005, the U.S. federal government filed a civil rights lawsuit accusing Airmont of discriminating on the basis of religion and violating the

Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), , codified as et seq., is a United States federal law that prohibits the imposition of burdens on the ability of prisoners to worship as they please and gives churches and oth ...

(RLUIPA) and the

by banning boarding houses. In 2011, Airmont and the federal government reached a settlement and Airmont agreed to amend its zoning code to allow Mischknois Lavier Yakov to build a school with student housing. The agreement included a $10,000 civil penalty against Airmont and marked the second time federal prosecutors had intervened in Airmont zoning affairs since its 1991 incorporation. In 2018 nothing has happened and the zoning has expired. The congregation complex will most likely never happen. On December 2, 2020, The

Department of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a v ...

filed another lawsuit, alleging that there was religious discrimination through land use policies that violate previous court rulings and federal law. In September 2021, the

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

deputy mayor of Airmont, Brian Downey, was arrested on multiple weapons charges after police discovered 16 assault weapons, 13 illegal silencers, and other guns and gun parts inside his home while executing a search warrant. Investigators also found a stash of fake IDs, including fake FBI credentials.

Geography

Airmont is located at (41.099163, -74.100011). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the village has a total area of , all land. The southern boundary of the village is the border of

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 7,799 people, 2,342 households, and 2,032 families residing in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 1,701.3 people per square mile (657.5/km²). There were 2,362 housing units at an average density of 515.2 per square mile (199.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 86.3%

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 3.5%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, .17% Native American, 2.53%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, .03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 1% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.36% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 5.26% of the population. There were 2,342 households, out of which 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.2% were non-families. 11.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.20 and the average family size was 3.47. In the village, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males. The median income for a household in the village was $87,678, and the median income for a family was $97,960. Males had a median income of $67,663 versus $36,550 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the village was $29,788. About 1.6% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

History

According to Cole's ''History of Rockland County'', published in 1884, Tallman was named for Tunis Tallman, who opened a store there in 1836. Tunis was a direct descendant of Rockland's oldest family.

Government

The village is governed by a mayor and board of trustees.

Tourism

Historical markers

* Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church - Church & Airmont Road * Dogwoods - 24 DeBaun Avenue

Landmark and places of interest

* Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1715, by

Palatine Germans Palatines (german: Pfälzer), also known as the Palatine Dutch, are the people and princes of Palatinates ( Holy Roman principalities) of the Holy Roman Empire. The Palatine diaspora includes the Pennsylvania Dutch and New York Dutch. In 1709 ...

in Mahwah, New Jersey. The church was incorporated in Rockland County in 1850, and the current edifice built in 1855. * Challenger Center for Space Science Education * Spook Rock, near Airmont, is the largest of the cluster of rocks located on Spook Rock Road and Highview Avenue in Airmont. The Tappan and Warawankogs of the Lenni-Lenape wolf tribes, members of the Algonquin Nation worshiped the

sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...

moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...

stars A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma held together by its gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night, but their immense distances from Earth ma ...

, and a

spirit Spirit or spirits may refer to: Liquor and other volatile liquids * Spirits, a.k.a. liquor, distilled alcoholic drinks * Spirit or tincture, an extract of plant or animal material dissolved in ethanol * Volatile (especially flammable) liquids, ...

called

Manitou Manitou (), akin to the Iroquois ''orenda'', is the spiritual and fundamental life force among Algonquian groups in the Native American theology. It is omnipresent and manifests everywhere: organisms, the environment, events, etc. ''Aasha ...

Education

Most of Airmont is within the Suffern Central School District (formerly Ramapo Central). Zoned schools include
Cherry Lane Elementary School (2013 National Blue Ribbon School),
Suffern Middle School, and

Suffern High School Suffern High School is a State school, public High school (North America), high school in the Suffern Central School District (formerly known as the Ramapo Central School District) located in Suffern, New York. The school's mascot is a mountain ...

(New York State Reward School). Some residents, particularly in the far eastern portion of the village, are zoned to

East Ramapo Central School District East Ramapo Central School District is a school district in Ramapo, New York, United States. It is headquartered in the Senator Eugene Levy Dr. Jack R. Anderson Education Center. History 20th century On March 4, 1952, seven school districts mer ...

.Educational Resources
" ''Village of Airmont''. Retrieved on May 27, 2017. Central United Talmudical Academy of Monsey is in Airmont.

Rockland Community College Rockland Community College (RCC) is a public community college in the town of Ramapo, New York in Rockland County. It is part of the State University of New York. The college, established in 1959, became the 18th community college to join the S ...

, part of the SUNY system, is near Airmont.

Notable person

Lipa Schmeltzer Lipa Schmeltzer ( yi, אלעזר ליפא שמעלצער ''Elazar Lipa Schmeltzer'', he, ליפא שמלצר; born March 17, 1978) is an American singer, entertainer, and composer. He is a headliner in Hasidic as well as modern Jewish communi ...

(1978 - ) is an American Hasidic singer and composer. He is a headliner within Hasidic and Haredi communities worldwide and has been called "the Jewish Elvis" and "the Lady Gaga of Hasidic music". Schmeltzer has released 13 solo albums as of 2014. In 2008, he was named to the Forward 50 of most influential Jews.

References

External links

Airmont official website
{{authority control Villages in New York (state) Villages in Rockland County, New York