770 Installs New AC Units Ahead of Tishrei

A large crane towered over 770 early Wednesday morning as crews replaced aging rooftop air-conditioning units serving the main shul, part of ongoing preparations ahead of the Yomim Noraim and Tishrei.

The early-morning operation continued for several hours, with a large truck-mounted crane positioned alongside 770 as crews removed the old rooftop units and hoisted their replacements into place.

The two units serve the center section of the main shul, and both had already accumulated decades of service. Those overseeing the project told Anash.org that the larger unit had been operating for approximately 30 years, while the smaller one had been in service since 1972.

Their age had become particularly noticeable during the Yomim Noraim. With thousands of mispallelim filling 770 on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, the units would at times freeze up and stop working altogether, making reliable cooling a serious concern in the packed shul.

At times, keeping the system running required going onto the roof in the middle of davening together with a non-Jew, who could carry out the necessary work on Yom Tov, to get the equipment operating again.

With another Tishrei approaching, the aging units are now being replaced entirely in a project costing approximately $250,000. The project is being overseen by R’ Shmuel Shochat, who arranged for the new equipment and coordinated the replacement ahead of the Yomim Noraim.

Getting the equipment into place presented another challenge. The crane company had virtually no openings available in its schedule, and those involved described securing one in time as something of a miracle. The company’s owner, who knows a shliach, helped make room for the 770 job, allowing the installation to proceed before the Yomim Noraim.

The new air-conditioning units are part of the preparations underway throughout 770 ahead of Tishrei, when thousands of guests from around the world are expected to join the large local crowd for the Yomim Tovim.

Donations toward the project can be made at 770shul.org.

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