By COLlive reporter
The sale of the dormitory building at 749 Eastern Parkway which serves bochurim learning at 770 Eastern Parkway was not the decision of the Yeshiva’s administrators.
In a public letter, Rabbi Moshe Meir Gluckowsky and Rabbi Benjy Stock explain that the building is not under the non-profit entity that they direct.
The building is in contract to be sold to Iggud Talmidei Hakvutza, a non-profit organization founded by 770 alumni and Yungeleit who have been involved in the day-to-day care of the students.
In the letter, Rabbi Gluckowsky explained that two non-profits were founded after the Frierdiker Rebbe arrived in America and reopened Tomchei Temimim in the US, with the headquarters in Crown Heights.
One entity was called C.Y.T.T.L. – Central Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim Lubavitz – the educational branch which would directly run the Yeshiva at 770.
The second was called U.L.Y. – United Lubavitcher Yeshivoth – which would oversee the opening of Chabad Yeshivas around the world.
Both were headed by Rabbi Shmaryahu Gurary obm, son-in-law of the Frierdiker Rebbe.
For an unknown reason, the purchase of the 749 building was bought under the ULY corporation, while other entities, such as the 1414 President Street dorm, were done under the C.Y.T.T.L. branch.
“The decision to sell 749 was done by the board of ULY due to pressures of legal matters,” Rabbi Gluckowsky said.
The Iggud plans to purchase the building from United Lubavitch Yeshiva for $3 million, and they will be spending an additional $3 million in legal fees, remedying the violations, and doing major renovations. They will be holding a fundraiser in the near future to help defray the cost of the project, which is expected to take 1 – 2 years.
The day-to-day operation of the building, even after the sale is final, will not change, and “The building will remain a dormitory for the bochurim of Tomchei Temimim,” they said.
If there will be a fundraiser anyway, let ULY make the fundraiser. I applaud that individuals have gathered to benefit 770 Yeshivah, but 770 is not exclusively for the Kvutzah. Most of our central education Mosdos have upgraded their boards and become much more fiscally successful and responsible. Why a new organization? Tomchei Temimim is the Yeshivah of the Rebbeim.
Whoever owns the deed to the building decides who gets to use or buy it. Maybe TTL used ULY’s building because at the time when it started to, ULY had no use for the bldg. One thing is for sure, TTL didn’t have or exercise much control over the use of that building in the last 20 years. If you don’t know the reason why ULY bought 749, and ULY owns 749, then absent any other facts, ULY can sell or use 749 as they wish.
very simple
770 does not charge money (or not enough) to learn there
the income they had used to be fundraised (from big donations)
recently they weren’t very successful in that department – it is hard to run a org. that has a X Number outbound money and no income.
so technically they are on life support
even with a fundraiser event (small donations) only go so far
i am sure that they are looking for fundraisers if you are up to it please try
This is what happens when ( with money ) throw their weight around .
Having money doesn’t entitle people to go above the administration.