Ramapo, NY – September 10, 2025 — A packed public hearing at Ramapo Town Hall drew more than one hundred men, women and children from surrounding communities, as residents voiced sharp opposition to a proposal that would annex four properties into the Village of New Square. The annexation petition, filed under New York State’s Article 17 Municipal Annexation Law, included parcels on North Main Street in New Hempstead and Spring Valley, as well as a lot owned by Refuah Health Center.

A Silent Village Board, A Vocal Public

The evening began with a roll call of the Town of Ramapo Board and the Village of New Square Board. While the Ramapo members presided, the New Square trustees remained silent throughout the proceedings, offering no comment to the standing-room-only crowd. This silence fueled additional frustration among attendees, who repeatedly charged that New Square’s controversial “mile policy,” an exclusion zone barring outsiders they don’t want from living near the village, has already destabilized neighborhoods and could grow even larger if annexation proceeds.

As one speaker pointedly remarked, “If New Square expands, so does the exclusion zone — which is already about fifteen times the size of the village itself.”

Appreciation for Refuah, Concern for the Rest

While multiple residents acknowledged the important role Refuah Health Center plays in providing healthcare services to the broader community, they insisted there was no need for the property to be annexed to New Square. “The Town of Ramapo can approve a parking lot without ceding land to the village,” one commenter argued.

The other three parcels raised deeper concern, with several speakers highlighting the lack of transparency about their intended use. Some speculated about industrial projects, including the possibility of a chicken processing plant. Others feared the properties could be used for purposes with hidden intentions or simply give more control to people that has repeatedly lacked concern for the basic welfare of others.

Only one resident of New Square addressed the gathering. While he praised Refuah Health Center’s contributions — a sentiment with which no one disagreed — he went on to insist that New Square is an open, welcoming place where anyone is free to shop and feel at home. That testimony was met with skepticism by many in the audience, who pointed out that if the village were truly welcoming, there would be no reason to resist fellow Jews living peacefully in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Emotional Testimonies

The hearing turned especially somber when a community member shared his personal experience of living near the site of a stabbing, violence he connected to overcrowding and the discriminatory “mile” policy. “It’s insane and unheard of in this day and age that we are being discriminated against so openly and our wellbeing put at risk,” he said emotionally.

Another speaker described the fear of watching houses “snatched up” by New Square residents, and then immediately transforming peaceful blocks into overcrowded and unsafe environments. Others cited embarrassment from New Square residents themselves, who quietly admit to being troubled by their leadership’s hardline policies.

Broader Criticisms: Enforcement and Politics

Residents also turned their frustration toward the Town of Ramapo itself, criticizing officials for failing to enforce zoning and housing violations. “We pay serious tax dollars that should afford us safe neighborhoods. Instead, we’re treated like second-class citizens,” one resident declared.

Speakers accused town officials of avoiding confrontation with New Square leadership in order to preserve the bloc vote. Several warned that without accountability or transparency, the annexation would only deepen divisions and threaten the stability of surrounding neighborhoods.

Next Steps

The annexation petition remains under review. Written objections, as required by Section 705 of the General Municipal Law, can still be submitted. For now, the September 10th hearing underscored widespread distrust of New Square’s intentions — and a growing movement among local residents determined to push back against what they view as an illegal and discriminatory land grab.