Reclaim and Rebuild Our Shul!
For more than 150 years, Congregation Beth Jacob Ohev Sholom ~ Brooklyn’s oldest Traditional Orthodox congregation ~ has been a sanctuary for families to pray, study, and celebrate in the diverse, ever-changing neighborhood of Williamsburg.
Now Beth Jacob Ohev Sholom has become the target of an aggressive takeover campaign led by a well-connected faction of Satmar Hasidic operatives and real estate developers. Our spirit of welcome that brought Jews of many traditions to share prayer and study has been exploited by those hungry for power and property, who offer nothing but scorn and hatred for our diverse community.
The Main Sanctuary before the events of September 17, 2024
In a violent act of seizure, this group destroyed the interior of our main sanctuary – leaving the hand-carved wooden pews, mechitza, bimah, and podium in a broken pile of shards. Their actions released asbestos, rendering the space inaccessible until $70,000 of remediation was complete.
September 17, 2024- the bimah was destroyed soon after
To the police and Kings County Supreme Court, they falsely asserted the overlapping roles of tenants, owners and officers of our shul. They brought restraining orders against our elected leadership, seized our building and locked our members out. To this day, they continue to harass and retaliate through legal cases, malicious reporting, and acts of violence, vandalism, and destruction.
After reviewing over a dozen related lawsuits, on May 21, 2025 Justice Richard J. Montelione reinstated the rightful President of the Congregation and confirmed the duly elected officers and trustees. This decision restored access to our building for repair and remediation – and revealed synagogue accounts showing tens of thousands of dollars have been misappropriated.
The growing costs have been carried by congregants themselves, as they manage multiple legal cases and face ongoing vandalism and harassment. Our opponents have deep pockets ~ we need your help!
We urgently need to raise $125K for the next phase: critical repairs, legal costs, utilities, maintenance, and security
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Once we have restored our space, we are excited to reopen our historic sanctuary to inspire through tefillah, creativity, and community – with space for Shabbat, holiday celebrations, and Torah study alongside book clubs, guest lectures, family gatherings, kumzitzim, storytelling, and cycle of life events for adults and children.
Help lay the rosh pinah רֹאשׁ פִּנָּה
As a thank-you, the first 25 donors over $250 will receive a handmade silkscreened tote bag with our Tree of Life design
אמת וצדק ינצרו – Truth and Righteousness Will Prevail
Your gift to Congregation Beth Jacob Ohev Sholom, a registered religious corporation in New York State, is fully tax-deductible.
