July 2017July 22: Mahwah officials ordered a New York Jewish community to cease building a religious boundary, known as an eruv, through Mahwah because the boundary violates township zoning regulations, according to a letter sent by the township engineer.
July 24: A crowd of 200 people gathered at a Mahwah park, some belonging to the group “Mahwah Strong” to voice concerns of out-of-state residents traveling into Mahwah and overcrowding local parks.
Aug. 6: Three groups, all on different sides of eruv controversy, including Mahwah Strong, a group attending the “Stand Up Against Hate” event and a Mahwah Community Parks event which attendees said promoted “Unity” converged on Winters Park.Aug. 10: Mahwah Council tables a vote on the “No knock” ordinance to clamp down on neighborhood soliciting, echoing measures by other municipalities concerned with the eruv expansion, and the creation of a police direction position.
Aug. 24: Mahwah Council hires law firms Holwell, Shuster and Goldberg, based in Manhattan, and Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri and Jacobs of Oakland to fight a lawsuit filed by the Bergen Rockland Eruv Association after the township threatened to issue summonses if the eruv was not removed by Aug. 4.October 2017Oct. 6: Mayor Bill Laforet declines to sign the ordinances that crack down on neighborhood soliciting and ban certain park activities.