real-brisker, people are constantly harping on the rich. Most rich people I know give a TON of money to tzedaka. They give more in a month than many people make in a year. Why shouldn’t they enjoy themselves at a fancy hotel for Pesach?
As to the shul, I’ve seen the shul and can’t quite imagine what cost $7 million to build. But I wonder why a $2 million shul wouldn’t have done for him. Interstingly enough, Rabbi Schlesinger did tell all his congregants that no house in the area was worth more than a certain amount (I think $500,000 maybe?) to cap the housing increases.