Long-Needed Repairs Begin on 770’s Roof

Workers began removing old air conditioning units and repairing the roof of the 770 shul this week, to prevent any future leaks or flooding.

By Anash.org reporter
Drone Photo: Omri Bahar/Anash.org

A much-needed and much-anticipated repair to the roof of the 770 shul began in earnest this past weekend, with workers arriving to begin the repair process.

For the past number of years, the main shul at 770 suffered from frequent leaks, occurring after every significant rainfall. During the hours of the storm, and for days afterwards, mispalelim and bochurim would need to sidestep dripping water and puddles on the floor to daven and learn in the shul. After each occurrence, the problematic areas were patched up with the hope of stopping the leaks, but by next time a storm arrived, the leaks would be back in full force.

When the storms were harsher than usual, the effect was felt even stronger in 770, with the shul flooding at times with inches of water, driving home the need for a permanent solution.

The arrival of Hurricane Ida in New York last summer only made the situation worse. While the flooding in 770 reached levels that had not been seen before, the real damage occurred on the roof of the building, which also houses the offices of the central Chabad institutions.

Realizing that the problem had to be solved immediately, the gabboyim of the main shul got to work looking for a long term solution. Enlisting the support of Dnipro Shliach Rabbi Shmuel Kaminetsky, they set up a plan to make a proper and extensive repair to the roof, to fix the problem once and for all.

Just in time for the winter season, workers arrived to begin the repairs. Led by Shmuli Shuchat, the team began by removing old air conditioning units which were no longer in use. They then began the repair of the actual roof, filling holes, and applying a new layer.

The full repair is expected to be completed over the coming weeks, 770’s gabboim told Anash.org.