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Politics & Government

Inside the Chabad House Controversy: The Rabbi

Rabbi Aharon Abend of Chabad speaks to Patch about his response to this issue.

Rabbi Aharon Abend is the spiritual leader of the Chabad of North Hollywood congregation in Sherman Oaks, which is currently building a large and controversial synagogue on its property at 13079 Chandler Blvd.

Although quite busy with his congregation, as well as managing the ongoing construction development and its surrounding controversy, he took time to talk to Patch on Wednesday, over the phone, to answer some of the questions raised by neighbors in opposition to the project,

At first the rabbi deflected our questions by saying, “I can’t get into it. That’s why I have [Chabad attorney] Mr. Reznik to be able to deal with any questions anybody has.”

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Still, he was willing to hear the questions, and answer those he felt were answerable.

“You ask,” he said. “And if I can, I will answer.”

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In response to neighbors’ feelings that this project is simply too large for the property, Abend said, “It’s a gorgeous building that will enhance the neighborhood. People ask why it’s so big. Who said it’s so big? The question means so many things to so many people."

“We feel that it is appropriate. That is what I keep saying. They say it’s too big and I say it isn’t. I think the facts speak for themselves. We think it’s appropriate. We designed a beautiful building. It will add to the neighborhood. I think it’s appropriate. It’s not a box.

“Everybody has to realize another thing,” he added. “The building isn’t finished. They’re making statements about something they don’t really get."

In regard to the concern that five parking places will hardly suffice, he said, “Once again I don’t know, based on what, that they’re worried. We haven’t had a problem up to now. At least not a realistic problem."

“We’ve been here 31 years and there hasn’t been a problem,” he continued. “And we have Valley College a thousand feet away. We submitted our parking plan to zoning and it was acceptable.”

But if there’s no need for parking, why is there a plan for parking at Valley College?

“On Sabbath Day and Jewish holidays,” he answered, “there is no need for parking. That is an accurate statement. If we have any activities on other days, we have arranged for parking. There are two different issues. On Sabbaths and Jewish holidays, people walk.”

He went on to say that Chabad has been following the letter of the law precisely, and will continue to do so.

“We will follow the rules of zoning. There has been a process which we are following. We are following the law. If this was illegal, they wouldn’t let us build.”

He vehemently objected to the notion that Chabad ever raised charges of anti-Semitism against the opposition.

“We never said that,” he said. “That never came from our mouths. Never. I don’t know where that came from. There is a record, and if you examine that record, you will see that no one from here ever used that word. I was very disturbed by that. I never used that word, and no supporters of this project ever used that word.”

Asked about the statement that congregants drive in before sundown and park their cars, leaving them in the neighborhood overnight, Abend denied its veracity.

“It isn’t so. Once again, we have a record of 31 years.”

When told that the worries of the neighbors have to do not with the past but with the future impact of this project, he replied:

“So what you’re telling me is that they’re projecting upon, I don’t know, projection. You have to speak to them. I cannot comment on what is going on in their heads.”

Abend was asked if neighbors' concerns were unfounded that the construction of such a large synagogue means Chabad intends to grow its congregation.

“Once again," he responded, "we are a community synagogue, okay? Which means we’re Sabbath observant, okay? This serves local residents. Local residents. From the neighborhood. Not people coming from outside the neighborhood. That’s who we serve."

“I’m not sure what growth means,” he said. “I don’t know what this had to do with Chabad. Do I go out and recruit people? No. I don’t recruit people. That is not our intention, no."

“What we have and what we’re hoping to do is be able to conduct our activities in a proper edifice, and not have to do things outside in the heat and the rain, which is what we’ve been doing."

“So we’re hoping to have the proper edifice which we’re allowed to have.”  

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