INBOX: The Million-Dollar Question – Where Is the Security at 770?
On the night a car repeatedly slammed into the entrance of 770, the question on everyone’s mind was painfully simple: How is this still possible?
Here’s the part that should make every Chossid deeply uncomfortable. Public records show that the nonprofits operating out of 770 have not been ignored when it comes to security funding. New York State’s own contract database lists $800,000 in homeland-security and nonprofit-security grant contracts awarded to Chabad headquarters–linked entities over the past several years. These are security-specific grants, separate from everyday donations, operating budgets, or general support.
And yet, after all that, we are still asking whether basic, visible vehicle-ram mitigation exists at the most iconic Jewish address in the world.
So it’s time to stop mumbling and ask the question out loud:
If the funding exists, why are we still relying on luck and last-second police response?
Where is the plan?
Where is the urgency?
Who is responsible for executing it—and who has the authority to say yes?
We can no longer hide behind the ongoing “legal dispute” between the Gabbaim and Merkos as an excuse for paralysis. Security is not politics. It is not turf. It is life and death. Internal disagreements do not suspend responsibility.
Anash deserve transparency. Not slogans. Not reassurances. An actual accounting. What grants were awarded? Which funds were drawn down? What was installed? What wasn’t—and why?
Because when $800,000 in security funding is associated with 770, yet the building still feels exposed, something is broken. And pretending otherwise is no longer an option.
Former CH member
Check the houses of the officials of the organization that got the security grant. See if they have a new alarm and closed circuit camera system. That may answer your question
A chossid
while that is a great and valid Question, the answer may ly in the following question: How did we go from Lubavitch spokesman Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky to: Lubavitch spokesperson Yaacov Berman?!?!?!? when the press writes an article… the answer is believe is one in the same…
shmerel
Ask Rabbi Sharpton
Yankel Todres
Well, all the offices in 784-788 got a fancy card-entry locking system, and a bunch of security cameras were put up around the building.
Mendy
Thank you for posting this article and I hope we get a answer to where the money went to
CHLEAKS
Now do the CHJCC
800?
Honestly, $800k is not a lot at all for a building that size, especially with so many different parts/offices, and without specifying over how many year. an average small shul uses 800k in security grants for cameras, lighting, and locks/entry systems.
Bottom line
Without commenting on the 800k..
Two security recommendations
1) there should be no thru traffic , passing 770. As it is during tishrei,
it’s a safety hazard
2) there should be a security guard at every entrance
Either lock the door , or have a security guard as most shuls across the USA have
Wrong...
As someone who works in grants a medium sized school uses about 200k-250k in security grants..800k for 770 should allow that building to be completely decked out. So yeah mystery