A rabbi is suing Hawaii County after officials threatened to impose thousands of dollars in fines for holding religious meetings inside his home.
The lawsuit was filed by First Liberty Institute (FLI) Tuesday on behalf of Rabbi Levi Gerlitzky, who lives in Hawaii and runs the Chabad Jewish Center of the Big Island.
During the observance of the Sabbath, Gerlitzky would often host people in his home, sometimes nearly 30 people, but was told by county officials in February 2023 that he must get a permit to hold religious gatherings in his home, according to the complaint.
