Testimony has ended in a bitter fight over control of the nation’s oldest synagogue.
The congregation that worships at the 250-year-old Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, and the nation’s first Jewish congregation in New York are suing each other in U.S. District Court in Providence over the synagogue and ceremonial bells worth millions.
Testimony ended Thursday. The matter will be decided by a judge instead of a jury, and closing arguments are scheduled for July 20.
New York’s Congregation Shearith Israel owns the synagogue, but Congregation Jeshuat Israel says it’s in trust for the Jews of Newport, which they embody.
The fight began when the Newport congregation tried to sell the bells to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts for $7.4 million. Both sides claim to own the bells.
(AP)
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7 Responses
Whats actually happening is that Touro in Rhode Island does not want to be Frum anymore while Shearith Israel is trying to make sure they stay Frum. Shearith Israel even wanted to go to Beis Din but Touro said no. Shearith Israel even said in court based on Halachik grounds that its assur to sell the Rimonim of the Torah.
Excuse me Yosi7. You don’t know what you are talking about. Did you ever go to the Touro Synagogue? They may have a mixed crowd during the year, typical of out-of-town shuls, but each summer, Touro really shines. There are 3 really packed minyanim (Shacharis, Mincha & Maariv)aside from Shabbos minyanim. The Rabbi gives a short talk at each summer minyan based on something from the Daf Yomi daf for each day. The crowd who attends ranges from modern orthodox to yeshivish to chasidish as well as sefardim. I even met several Roshei Yeshiva there. The controversy has nothing to do with frumkeit.
I thought Bells was in Yerushalayim…
Mottel1- actually I do know what I am talking about as I know the lawyers on both sides and was in the court room for many of the arguments. Yes, the summer the Shul is full but the rest of the year they can hardly get a minyan. The Shul has said explicitly that they want to turn the shul into a Museum and have a small shul which would not be Orthodox. Shearith Israel contract with them say explicitly that the Shul must stay frum which they do not believe is binding. And, as I said before, Shearith Israel tried to go to Beis Din but touro decided to make a chilllul Hashem (see Rashi on chumish) and go to secular court instead. Also, Shearith Israel doesn’t want them to break Halacha and sell the bells (selling Tashmishei Kedusha just to go in a museum). you are excused. Maybe you should learn what your talking about before you support tremendous Chillulei Hashem by touro.
**”they do not believe is binding”–they being Touro.
Yosi7
I stand by what I wrote previously without any question.
Just a little side issue.
Don’t make Shearith Israel so lily white.
Their current Rabbi and previous Rabbi are “yad achas” with Rabbi Avi Weiss’ feminist agenda. I also have been keeping tabs on it from the Shearith Israel side. The main players there want to resume total control. Before the nesuch sefard orthodox ashkenazi congegation took over in Touro, the Touro synagogue was basically dead. Now that they have resurrected and have become more activist, Shearith Israel wants to reassert control. Once again, the issue is not frumkeit or halacha. It is control.
Mottel1-
you still have no idea what you are talking about. Just answer two questions: 1) Why did touro refuse to go to Beis Din and create a Chillul Hashem by going to secular court? 2)Why do you and Touro insist on stepping on the Torah and selling Tashmishei Kedusha?
The current Rabbi is Rabbi Meir Solivetchik who is about as far away from Avi Weiss and his feminist agenda as you can get. Shearith Israel doesnt care what Nusach they daven as long as they stay frum and do not turn the Shul into a museum which they want to do. I’m sorry you insist on being Missayeh Lidvar Averia by supporting selling of Tashmishei Kedusha and chillul Hashem in secular court. Also, I assume I will see you on July 20 when court resumes in Rhode Island.