NEW YORK — Four individuals are set to go to trial for their alleged involvement in damaging a synagogue in Brooklyn during a confrontation that followed the discovery of an unauthorized tunnel at the Chabad-Lubavitch movement’s headquarters. They have rejected a plea deal from prosecutors.
These individuals face felony charges of criminal mischief, linked to a brawl that occurred in January, which resulted in damage to a significant site that attracts thousands of visitors each year.
The disturbance arose when a group protested against the synagogue’s attempt to seal off a tunnel that congregants had excavated to enlarge the worship area. When authorities intervened, it was reported that some participants vandalized the property by removing wooden panels and throwing prayer books.
The altercation led to the arrest of 16 people and gained significant attention online due to video footage of the incident.
During a court conference, some defendants accepted lesser charges and agreed to a protective order preventing them from making alterations to the synagogue for three years. Others had previously pled guilty to reduced charges.
Judge Adam Perlmutter criticized the defendants for failing to seek approval from synagogue leadership for their plans, emphasizing the need for transparent processes in community projects.
The four defendants—Yaakov Rothchild, Yisroel Binyamin, Yerachmiel Blumenfeld, and Menachem Maidanchik—have been scheduled for trial on April 28, facing felony charges that could lead to a maximum prison sentence of seven years.
Blumenfeld’s attorney labeled the charges as “outrageous,” asserting that his client was merely partaking in longstanding civil disputes.
Supporters of the tunnel claim they were fulfilling the vision of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a prominent figure in Judaism who had spoken about expanding the cramped religious space prior to his passing in 1994. Many within the Chabad community maintain that Schneerson is still alive and heralded as the messiah.
However, Chabad leadership has dismissed this viewpoint, labeling the tunnel excavation as an act of vandalism.
Rabbi Motti Seligson criticized the defendants’ actions as unjustifiable, calling for moral and ethical introspection in light of the damage caused.
The tunnel, measuring 60 feet long and 8 feet wide, compromised the structural integrity of surrounding buildings, leading to vacate orders issued by the Department of Buildings. The tunnel has since been filled with cement.
