Town board delays decision on temple

Richard Tedesco

The Town of North Hempstead Board decided to withhold a decision on approving plans to expand the Babylonian Jewish Center in Great Neck at its Tuesday night meeting.

The board voted unanimously to continue a public hearing at its July 31 meeting on the proposed 5,000-square-foot expansion of the existing 3,700 foot facility at 440 Great Neck Rpad. That vote followed a presentation of plans already approved by the town board of zoning appeals and a contentious discussion between temple officials and residents about the plans.

The Iraqi synagogue, which counts 200 members in its congregation, is seeking to add a 3,000-square-foot social hall, a small kitchen facility and 1,800 square feet for two classrooms and a library.

“The aspect of the social hall is social,” said Ronald Ben-Josef, president of the Babylonian Jewish Center.

He said the social hall would be used for lectures and other synagogue functions and would not have a “marketable” function. He also said the temple didn’t foresee any significant increase in its membership.

Alice Aboody, president of the temple’s sisterhood, said the kitchen facility would not be used for the preparation of food.

“The food has to be warmed up and brought in. When people want to have a big party, they have it at another synagogue,” she said.

Aboody also said the temple had secured permission from the Rabinnate in Jerusalem for use of its parking lot for Shabbat services to alleviate parking problems in the neighborhood.

“This is going to be very serious. We already have a lot of traffic from the temple,” said Alison Belfiore, president of the Great Neck Lakeville Civic Association.

Attorney Peter Mineo, who represented the Babylonian Jewish Center, said the town board of zoning appeals originally approved the expansion plans last December, but that approval had since expired, necessitating a second appearance before that board, and Tuesday night’s hearing.

Mineo said the temple planned to hold normal “life-cycle functions” in the social hall and would also serve refreshments in it after temple services. But he emphasized that the facility its purpose is to benefit the temple’s exclusively Iraqi American members.

“The intention is to use it for the members of this congregation,” Mineo said.     

Great Neck resident Paul Gigante said the temple had been located on an “improperly sized lot” since it was constructed in 1997.

“It’s a tremendous quality of life issue for a delicately-balance community there,” said Gigante, who said that traffic is typically snarled along Great Neck Road under current conditions.

Ben-Josef said that parking at the temple is “more than adequate” as things stand and said use of the social hall would be for members only.

“Our main motto is coexistence,” Josef said. “We want to coexist with the neighborhood.”

Town supervisor Jon Kaiman said the concern is that the temple “becomes a destination.”

Town councilman Angelo Ferrara suggested expansion of the temple facility would naturally prompt more events that would draw crowds.

“You’re going to use it because you’ve never had it before,” Ferrara told Josef.

Josef said he didn’t foresee a “jump” in the number of events held at the temple, and said the new social hall would “mitigate” the facility’s impact on the neighborhood.

“I don’t question or doubt your intention at all,” Kaiman said.

He suggested meeting with community members to “craft” a solution, including enforcible covenants, that would satisfy everyone before the town board made a decision.

“I believe we’ll be able to come to some accommodation,” Kaiman said. 

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