Jewish Secret Societies
Re: Unlicensed Construction, and 'The Rest of the Story'
Once again, this OP isn't about "Jewish Texts and History" but it's a funny little Jewish New York story nevertheless.
New York City has a million laws. Unlicensed Construction/Excavation in heavily-trafficked urban areas under jurisdictions of municipal bodies is certainly illegal, and rightly so. See NYC Building Codes 3301, 3304, etc.
https://up.codes/viewer/new_york_city/n ... ition#3304
Basically: you cannot just decide to 'dig a tunnel' between two properties in or adjacent to City properties or its land/amenities (sidewalks, subways, etc.) without a valid Permit and the normal due process of legal safety and civil review. ffs, 784-788 Eastern Parkway is right beside the MTA Station 'Kingston Av': subway tunnels! Tunneling because you want to in urban NYC is wrong, common-sense illegal; I dare say you couldn't get away with it in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv either. 'We're Jews (therefore Chosen: your secular laws are irrelevant), and we want access to that mikvah; public safeguards don't apply to us, etc.' is not a reasonable excuse: sorry, chief.
So what is this about, really? A mundane property squabble between different factions of Hasids: Rebbe Schneerson (deceased) is still believed to be The Messiah, and this was His Bath.
https://nypost.com/2024/01/09/news/vide ... synagogue/
Ergo, the supramundane Living Waters of Crown Heights Brooklyn, bro!
New York City has a million laws. Unlicensed Construction/Excavation in heavily-trafficked urban areas under jurisdictions of municipal bodies is certainly illegal, and rightly so. See NYC Building Codes 3301, 3304, etc.
https://up.codes/viewer/new_york_city/n ... ition#3304
Basically: you cannot just decide to 'dig a tunnel' between two properties in or adjacent to City properties or its land/amenities (sidewalks, subways, etc.) without a valid Permit and the normal due process of legal safety and civil review. ffs, 784-788 Eastern Parkway is right beside the MTA Station 'Kingston Av': subway tunnels! Tunneling because you want to in urban NYC is wrong, common-sense illegal; I dare say you couldn't get away with it in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv either. 'We're Jews (therefore Chosen: your secular laws are irrelevant), and we want access to that mikvah; public safeguards don't apply to us, etc.' is not a reasonable excuse: sorry, chief.
So what is this about, really? A mundane property squabble between different factions of Hasids: Rebbe Schneerson (deceased) is still believed to be The Messiah, and this was His Bath.
https://nypost.com/2024/01/09/news/vide ... synagogue/
Ergo, the supramundane Living Waters of Crown Heights Brooklyn, bro!
Re: News, Confirmed
The illegal tunnel was a safety hazard, undermining several buildings: "New York City officials had to issue vacate orders for several nearby buildings because the tunnel compromised their stability. Five of the young men now face charges."
More details here:
"Department of Buildings (DOB) engineers determined that the excavation work to create the tunnel has undermined a single-story extension above it at 770, as well as a similar extension behind 1457 Kingston Ave., causing structural stability issues at both buildings. The department issued Partial Vacate Orders at both single-story extensions due to these structural stability concerns.
A Full Vacate Order was issued to the 2-story building at 302 Kingston Ave. as well due to fire safety concerns; fire-rated walls were removed at the cellar, and on the first floor on the North and West sides of the building."
Also:
"City officials said it had been constructed illegally and was built without approval or permits. ... Two violations were issued for the illegal digging."
The illegal tunnelers could have been nailed with a raft of violations; to date, they've only received two. A slap on the wrist, basically.
The spurious, anonymous claim that the tunnel was for young Lubavitchers who "needed more room to pray" is as off-topic as the conspiracy theories of child-sex trafficking. No, they wanted access to the Rebbe's holy mikveh: you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure that out.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/20 ... baths-ope/
More details here:
"Department of Buildings (DOB) engineers determined that the excavation work to create the tunnel has undermined a single-story extension above it at 770, as well as a similar extension behind 1457 Kingston Ave., causing structural stability issues at both buildings. The department issued Partial Vacate Orders at both single-story extensions due to these structural stability concerns.
A Full Vacate Order was issued to the 2-story building at 302 Kingston Ave. as well due to fire safety concerns; fire-rated walls were removed at the cellar, and on the first floor on the North and West sides of the building."
Also:
"City officials said it had been constructed illegally and was built without approval or permits. ... Two violations were issued for the illegal digging."
The illegal tunnelers could have been nailed with a raft of violations; to date, they've only received two. A slap on the wrist, basically.
The spurious, anonymous claim that the tunnel was for young Lubavitchers who "needed more room to pray" is as off-topic as the conspiracy theories of child-sex trafficking. No, they wanted access to the Rebbe's holy mikveh: you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure that out.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/20 ... baths-ope/