Jewish deli told to take down neon sign in Newtown. Can it go back up?

The neon sign at a Jewish deli in town will not be lit up again after the owner's appeal was denied by the Newtown Township Zoning Hearing Board.

The sign at the Borscht Belt Deli in the Village of Newtown South center was cited as a violation of the zoning code last year, and store co-owner Mike Dalewitz and his business partner appealed, arguing that the township was using "selective enforcement" of its prohibition in the building code against signs that "are illuminated by the use of an inert gas or any form of exposed tubes."

Mike Dalewitz could appeal Thursday's decision, but is now focused on extending an "olive branch" to the township so that the argument over whether the sign should be lit can be put behind them.

"I have reached out to see if there's the way to work together, to turn a lemon into lemonade," he said.

The restaurant opened in May and had been doing a brisk business until a complaint was filed about the neon sign whch states "The Borscht Belt Delicatessen."

Dalewitz said that after the Oct. 7 attack in Israel and the store's hanging of an Israeli flag and sign to bring home the hostages in Gaza that business began to dry up. But he was gratified that several residents of all backgrounds showed up to support the deli's case at the zoning hearing.

Supervisor John Mack said in an email after the hearing that he has serious concerns with the ordinance the way it is written and with how it is enforced and will bring them up before the supervisors.

Dalewitz said he didn't know the sign wasn't allowed and that more than 100 other businesses in town also have neon signs in their windows or inside their shops or restaurants.

There were at least three "Open" neon signs in shop windows in the Village of Newtown South on Friday afternoon.

Township Solicitor David Sander said in closing arguments at the hearing that the sign did not have a permit and did not meet the requirements of the zoning code and therefore the zoning officer was correct in filing a violation and the citation had nothing to do with the content of the sign that it was a Jewish deli.

Sander said he agreed with Dalewitz that it would be best to "put this behind us and allow the Borscht Belt to provide a nice eatery for the people of Newtown."

Voting for denying the appeal were Zoners Tim Potero, William Wall and Josephine Vlastaris. Voting for the deli to be able to keep the sign was Zoner Matthew McCullough. Zoning Chair Paul Cohen recused himself.

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This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Borscht Belt Deli in Newtown argues sign law selectively enforced