By COLlive reporter
The expansion of Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch near the Rebbe‘s gravesite in Queens was approved by New York City’s Board of Standards & Appeals contingent upon conditions.
It demanded that operation be restricted to 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily, limited idling of cars and buses and warnings against littering and trespassing.
Eric Knowles reported in CityLandNYC.org that the conditions were given in response to a request to create a large building.
Jews from around the world turn to the Rebbe’s resting-place for blessing and prayer. Legal documents said daily visitors number in the several hundreds.
“Congregation Ohel Chabad Lubavitch,” directed by Rabbi Abba Refson, serves as a visitors center from 226-10 Francis Lewis Boulevard and adjacent 1-story houses.
To accommodate visitors, Refson proposed to merge the 5 homes and provide accessory uses to visitors including synagogue services and a Shabbos house with overnight transient sleeping accommodations.
Queens Community Board 13, local City Councilman Leroy Comrie, New York State Assemblywoman Barbara Clark, and the Cambria Heights Civic Association all opposed the variance for the synagogue and visitor’s center.
They cited concerns about the center’s garbage and litter, visitors’ lack of consideration for the neighbors, the Shabbos house sleeping accommodations, and increased traffic and parking needs, Knowles reported.
In response, Refson agreed to limit sleeping accommodations to 65 days a year (primary holidays) and establish a no-parking zone in front of the property, but was unwilling to limit access to the Rebbe’s grave to less than 24-hours per day.
He said that prohibiting access would interfere with the center’s right to perform religious ceremonies, it was reported in CityLandNYC.org.
The Board, however, restricted operation hours and gravesite accessibility, required signs against loitering, littering, and trespassing on neighbors property.
They want a limit idling of cars and buses to no more than a minute, garbage stored indoors and the center should provide private garbage pickups on event days.
It also attached a 10-year term to the variance, anticipating a future review of the functionality of the center and appropriateness of the imposed conditions.
they think that if there is a bigger building more people will come the same amount of people will come anyways same amount of garbage and same amount of parking they are trying to force to make it less than what it is what does it bother them that there is a building
Weer confident thet the one’s incharg to work things out will stand with the proper gioin yakov
I have left work many times flew to ny and spent the night at the ohel taking the first flight back to get to work.
Is there an inyan to go to the ohel or is it only for the 9 to 5ers?
If you give in now they will want to restrict 3 tammuz next. No one is ever satisfied with anything, I guarantee giving in will only open a can of worms, learn from Israel, whenever they give a little the world wants more.
I believe its a new custom that people go to the ohel at all hours of the night ? The rebbe alway made sure to leave before nightfall.isn’t there a inyan not to go at night ?
It seems that the biggest concerns are parking, card idling and complaints of garbage, etc To be honest, I visit the Ohel often and it is usally very clean and orderly. Here is a simple solution though Go ahead and attach all the building, enlarge, grow, etc For parking and idling, there are two possible solutions: 1) Enter into an arrangement/agreement with the cemetary to use their lot for all cars and have shuttle buses which go back and forth. This can be in place throughout the year or at peak seasons when it is really busy 2) Hire security… Read more »
The center is needed, but for after hours there should be another point of access, not attached to the proposed center.
Many of us from overseas visit the Ohel via JFK, and cannot always make it in the proposed timeframe.
BS”D # 7 you misunderstood me I agree 200 % that there should be around the clock access lol
How about all the neighbors being grateful that all these years NON of their homes were robbed, not one person was mugged.
These is pure anti semitism
Is it not good enough as is…this rocked the boat giving some an excuse to vent their venom…
Your Shlichus is to keep the Ohel available 24/7. If your permits is jeopardizing this, you are failing in your Shlichus! Think not who can sleep there, but who gets Chizuk there. People who are having operations at 7AM would go to the Ohel at 4am. People making connections from JFK? Meir, the Government once asked the Rebbe not to be so available because of security issues. The Rebbe told them, you do your job, and I will do my job. Countless people suggested the Rebbe to rest after his heart attack, the Rebbe denied every request. A Rebbe must… Read more »
we truly need the Geula –
but if Moshiach tarries even a bit more ch’v we need access to the Ohel at all hours.
All these stumbling blocks reminds us that we are still deep in golus….. I suppose this is to make us daven that much stronger for Moshiach’s arrival.
It’s great to build buildings but if going to the tzion will be restricted who needs buildings
What a scarry headline.
Chossid needs his rebbe . Always.
When will they stop spending money on the building and start spending on the ohel itself, for instance making a proper mechitza like all other holy gravesites…
BS”D
Once that homes are attached how can they be detached at the end of 10 years if so ordered, except at a huge expense.
to move away from the Ohel with Techiyas Hameisim…