Ervin R. v. Phina R.

OPINION OF THE COURT

Jeffrey S. Sunshine, J.

More than 20 years ago the Appellate Division, First Depart*385ment, in Perlstein v Perlstein (76 AD2d 49, 53 [1980]) held “a custody proceeding should not deteriorate into a war between parents to establish the superiority of different life-styles.” Today this court comes to the very same conclusion in this very litigious, very acrimonious visitation dispute between a Hasidic father and Orthodox Jewish mother.

The gravamen of the action before the court is to determine the appropriate visitation that the father should have with his now 10-year-old…