Orthodox synagogue files discrimination lawsuit against Orange County

Orange County is facing a federal lawsuit after the County Commission denied a Southwest Orange synagogue’s application to expand.

The Orlando Torah Center bought the home at 8613 Banyan Blvd., Orlando, in 2014, acquired a special exception to operate out of the former one-story residence in the Sand Lake Hills subdivision in 2020 and had applied to remodel the house-turned-religious-institution to accommodate a three-story building. 

The roughly .75-acre property is zoned R-1A single-family residential.

After two community meetings in late 2024, the Orange County Commission on July 1 denied the proposal.

In its lawsuit, the Orlando Torah Center asserts the denial violates its rights under the First Amendment, the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, and Florida’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

“Religious freedom is not optional; it is a constitutional guarantee,” said attorney Roman Storzer, of Storzer and Associates. “OTC has every legal and moral right to exist, expand and serve its community without undue burden or discrimination.”

The Orlando Torah Center is one of more than a dozen religious institutions located on South Apopka-Vineland Road. It has served a walkable congregation since 2015. 

According to OTC officials, numerous churches, a public school and a daycare center all have received similar zoning approvals in similar zoning districts. However, OTC’s request to expand for its religious use faced public opposition, including antisemitic remarks during public hearings, they said.

“Individuals of all faiths have a right to worship without outside interference,” Storzer said. “OTC members have been part of their neighborhood for more than a decade. They have operated peacefully and built lasting relationships with families of all faiths. Disappointedly, they were denied the same rights routinely granted to others.”

OTC seeks to expand its facility to accommodate increased attendance, children’s programs and enhanced safety measures. 

The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Case No. 6:25-cv-014.

To read the full complaint, click here.