By COLlive reporter
Inspectors from the New York Fire Department showed up at 770-788 Eastern Parkway on Wednesday, checking if Chabad Headquarters was up to code, and began inspecting the building for fire safety issues.
The officials were seen inspecting the upstairs offices and main Shul downstairs, following an anonymous complaint about alleged overcrowding in different areas.
The Shul is run by Cong. Lubavitch Inc., while the rest of the complex is operated by Agudas Chassidei Chabad and Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch.
COLlive.com was told that the inspection surprised all parties involved, as they have been regularly working with city officials and inspectors.
The visiting inspectors on Wednesday are said to have threatened to shut the building down due to amount of people inside exceeding the occupancy allowance, a passerby related.
Upon hearing that, Rabbi Chanina Sperlin of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council (CHJCC) rushed over to 770, along with Joel Eisdorfer and Fred Kreizman of Mayor Eric Adams‘s Office.
Sperlin told COLlive that various issues were mentioned by the inspectors during the visit, but he questioned the motives of the complainer.
“We are happy to work with the FDNY to fix any issues in the Shul which may not be totally up to code, however, since the inspectors arrived after what was an anonymous tip, the situation lends itself to the idea that the call was wrongly motivated,” he said.
“The Shul has not had a CO filed about it since 1977,” he noted.
The building does have sprinkler systems in place, Sperlin said.
Among the concerns they cited was the missing wall between the addresses of 788 and 784, a wall which was taken down years ago.
The inspectors left after a first visit earlier in the evening and then returned at about 7:30 pm, doing a head count of the main Shul, which did not exceed occupancy at that time.
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I heard at the migration shelters there over capacity why not check that out?!
Eh migration shelters?
How about illegal alien, human trafficking, drug smuggling, cartel funded, taxpayers stolen, invading military launching site?
We are in big trouble!
than migrant shelters
Since all our resources are being redistributed to pay for the needs of illegal aliens it doesn’t leave much over to invest on improving our own institutions.
They came because they were sold a lie that we have an overflow of wealth to share and bankroll their dreams.
It’s a humanitarian disaster.
“since the inspectors arrived after what was an anonymous tip, the situation lends itself to the idea that the call was wrongly motivated,” he said.”
Sorry not sorry. We deserve a safe, non-overcrowded shul. I have no reason to assume the tip didn’t have my best interest in mind.
Enough with the ghetto mentality here.
I heard there’s a shul that fits your needs just a few blocks over.
No reason to get a revered landmark shut down to help with your comfort level.
Also I’m sure Lakewood would have another few more options too that are perfectly up to code and in great condition.
With locals as helpful and friendly as your attitude demonstrates, it’s a wonder why anyone would go to alternative authorities for help.
You completely missed the point.
Nobody is obligating or forcing this entitled bloke to show up in 770.
But he is expected to behave with a minimum of decency and stop ratting out our institutions to those that steal our resources and hate us.
I’m not even asking him to be helpful and friendly but at the very least to mind his own business and not ruin things for everyone else.
Sorry not sorry
Typical blame the victim.
No it’s the other way around.
With guests that come that are as obnoxious, entitled and demanding it’s no wonder that anyone here is still open to hosting anyone from out of the neighborhood at all!
A little decency and hakoras hatov
Al derech the maiseh of the Baal Shem Tov, when he couldn’t go in to a shul because it was full of someone’s gaiva. So too, when you look at 770 (or any other shul) as stifling, there will never be enough room for you. When a person goes to a holy place, generally, if he has sensitivity to Kedusha and does feel some holiness there (and even if he doesn’t feel anything, but recognizes the fact that it’s a holy place and it’s good to be there), then he won’t mind the crowding as much because his mind will… Read more »
The building code requires hand railing on all stairways. In 770 the railings are loaded up from top to bottom with coats hung there by thoughtless individuals. It is impossible for the elderly and infirm to get down to the toilets, and I have seen people fall several times. I have complained to the gabboyim, but they just laugh about it. Perhaps if the city shuts them down and imposes a heavy fine this sakonas nefoshos situation will finally be corrected.
Whether or not the motive was questionable, 770 is not safe. A visit from inspectors will only lead to improvements by 770’s managers. What are we scared of? Positive changes that will result in lives potentially saved?
How would you like if the fdny showed up at your house?
It’s not the solution to call the police
So please share what the solution is with the current politics
The Aguch/Merkoz group and the Congregation group need to sit and discuss an overall expansion and safety upgrade plan.
It is a very major undertaking, which with mutual goodwill can be achieved.
The motivation was definitely not coming from a good place.
Mesira is never acceptable.
The need for expansion and safety upgrades are without question urgently need.
Time to join the movement!
the person did not have ’wrong motives’ and is actually genuinely concerned about people’s safety. It is very obviously a fire hazard and generally in dire need of repair and improvements. Bravo to that person for speaking up.
Especially during Tishri.
Hakst ah chienik!! We don’t go to goyim (who by nature hate yidden) to make improvements in any area of our lives!! This is pure unadulterated maliciousness, with a personal axe to grind. And shouldn’t be disguised as caring. Why did the Rebbe never have any problem with it? If this person was genuine, he would put his money where his evil mouth is and make enlarging the shul a reality thus eliminating the overcrowding issue.
The Rebbe wanted 770 upgraded and expanded.He personally came out to the Even HaPina ceremony.
Unfortunately internal community politics interfered and we are living with the consequences
you get nothing better by screaming to the Authorities they will just come and shut down the shull
this is happening to many Jewish institutions
Careful you might be called a conspiracy theorist….
Until…. 6 months later when you will be proven right
Boy do we live in interesting times….
770 is not any other Jewish institution. You can’t compare. However, it might be because it’s a Jewish place. There’s so manny doors in 770. I don’t see a problem CV”S and nobody put people there, like a Jewish school or something, were you know how much people you have and put them there anyway. (Make them come (work/Or schools) [If there might be schools that are not up to code and should be it’s another story] let them say what they want. About how much people, people can be there, they came anyway. And if anyone, thinks it not… Read more »
Oh the FBI is at it again…
False flag number one million and seventy five…
Wish they would just fire themselves already…
Are they trying to scare us into accepting even more restrictions and surveillance?
NO THANKS!!!
It’s a sign that Moshiach is coming and 770 will be overcrowded when ” kohol gadol yoshuvu heina”! So their “mazal” is inspecting to see if it’s already crowded!!!!!
Glad the call didn’t come Tishrei
I wonder what they would have said the night of shmnei atzeres
Lol
They probably would have said let’s have a drink
When people came up to the Beis HaMikdash for yom tov, they were pressed together very tightly . Some say that their feet could not even touch the ground.
Regardless of who called better safe than sorry
Exactly what we need when young soldiers are dying EVERY night ! Mesira on a shul! I hope whoever called was not a Jew ! Any serious complaint could have been taken up with respectful dialogue .
I think that’s illegal for the inspector to show up out of nowhere.
They should have made an appointment.
You can’t just shut down 770.
Where will all the Chassidim go?
Because the inspector totally cares where the chassidim will go… stop living in the clouds
Why is 770 exempt from fire codes? Was very scary when my kids were suffocating and had to be carried out over the crowd. Capacity needs to be limited. What would happen in the event of an emergency?!
If you know 770 is packed, why are you sending your kids???????
I mean after placing ever increasing drug shelters and migrant centers into our community, reducing our parking spaces with unneeded citibikes, ignoring crime and eliminating any patrols.. doing fdny raids on 770 would just be par for the course.
The homeless, the crime, the parking restrictions.. Ever get the impression we are being pushed out of the neighborhood? Or at least, they’re trying.
Just wait until the government ramps up their useful idiots around may/June like they did right before last election 4 years ago. Remember the fireworks/riots/antifa/BLM paid activists? It started in May.
I sense last time was just a trial run for what they’re planning for us this time around.
Secure your homes, arm yourself and stock up on food.
It ain’t gonna be pretty.
Unless we are in for nissim venifloas…
One can only hope!
For sure sometimes of year too crowded. The solution is not a shutdown, but rather improvements. And yes, often there is a need for criticism, can be constructive, no pun intended.
It’s a remez that Beis Chayenu Shebebavel needs to expanded to its fullest potential.
People, Before you start imagining that someone complained about 770 and who it might be…CHILL!
After all, throughout the USA there have been hundreds of swatting incidents targeting Jewish non-profits (- deceiving an emergency service into sending a police or emergency service response team to an organization’s address). These originated from overseas.
There is no reason not to assume that the “complaint” on 770 was part of this larger targeted harassment of Jewish mosdos.
Anyone complaining that there are space issues – shouldnt go and dont being your kids, or pay for whatever changes you want to see. You actually have that choice. To go and complain is ridiculous.
Not to be too dark but we all know what happened in meiron. I think it’s sakanas nefashos mammash if it’s actually overcrowded and the police should absolutely shut it down if it is. Whoever called was absolutely correct
An inconvenient fact was that the meiron disaster looked to be a set up too.
The police had barricaded all the exits except for one tiny one that was way too small for the crowd surge.
Someone even begged them to open up the other exits when before people were getting crushed but they refused.
That’s exactly what they do !!!
Too much
Locking the main doors of ladies section??!?!?!?
So it’s totally fine for the Shul to maliciously lock the middle/main entrance to the Women’s Shul on Eastern Parkway??? Not only is this an incredible inconvenience to mothers with strollers and the disabled, it is also a fire hazard when the Shul is full. But this is totally fine for everyone??? There is no one to really deal with this diplomatically. Why on earth would someone want to keep such an important door locked, endangering the women who daven there every day??? Perhaps the person that called was sincerely concerned about the safety of the congregants??? Instead of obsessing… Read more »
The fire code is there to SAVE LIVES and was put in place due to many deaths and lessons learned. If we are not abiding by the fire laws we are putting ourselves in danger. The laws protect US. If 770 isn’t safe it needs to be shutdown period, regardless of what a chosid shoteh may say.
Venishmartem meod lenafshoteichem
Did you ever even meet the people making up these laws.
They are so incompetent they probably wouldn’t even know how to use your washing machine without breaking it.
Your trust is completely misplaced.
Some laws are necessary. Most are not. And they just keep on adding to them. Each addition dumber than the next. Ask any contractor.
All doors must be unlocked except late night time. Cleaning staff must work not seat and doing ZERO
Only nice and pleasant people who are really connected could understand Ahavas Yisroel. Enough is enough . Playing with people minds! Locking main doors. Homeless shelter for elderly emotionally disturbed people. As Mosai?
Let’s expand 770
On a busy Shabbos, Yom Tov and especially during Tishrei 770 is without question extremely overcrowded.
In the case of any emergency, people could not exit safely and quickly, there could easily be a stampede towards the few existing door ways.
The Congregation and Aguch/Merkoz need as a matter of priority to work on a joint expansion/safety plan.
This is about life safety and should be embraced by everyone. If the building is in compliance, then the inspection should not and will not be a concern. If there are findings, then make the necessary corrections to comply with code.