Victory for Harvard Chabad as City Agrees to $540K Payout

In a dramatic and hard-fought legal victory, Harvard Chabad has compelled the City of Cambridge to drop its opposition to a long-delayed expansion, in what has become one of the most closely watched religious land-use disputes in recent Massachusetts history.

In a dramatic and hard-fought legal victory, Harvard Chabad has compelled the City of Cambridge to drop its opposition to a long-delayed expansion, clearing the path for the construction of a major new Jewish center in the heart of the city. The case, centered on claims of religious discrimination, has become one of the most closely watched religious land-use disputes in recent Massachusetts history.

Rabbi Hirschy Zarchi, who founded and directs Harvard Chabad, says the organization’s three adjoining buildings on Banks Street “serve 300 to 400 people on a typical Shabbos, and many more throughout the week.” For years, the facilities have been far too small to accommodate the growing community. “A thriving Jewish center in Cambridge is not a luxury, it is a lifeline,” Zarchi told Hamodia in 2024.

That lifeline was nearly severed. In 2024, when the Chabad center sought a zoning variance to join two of its buildings and expand its footprint, the Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeal rejected the request. Neighbors labeled the proposal a “nuisance” and a “handout,” and one group reportedly hired PR consultants to sanitize their messaging. Leadership at the Chabad house viewed the backlash as driven by discomfort with a visible, vibrant Jewish presence in the area.

On September 21, 2024, a federal lawsuit was filed charging that the city had violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), along with constitutional protections under the First and Fourteenth Amendments and Massachusetts civil rights law. The 92-page complaint detailed what the plaintiffs saw as a coordinated effort to block the shul’s growth. It accused the zoning board’s chair of appointing a known opponent of the expansion to ensure its rejection, and cited communications from critics urging the center to “go elsewhere.”

The lawsuit stated that the shul had been “forced to host events outdoors, including during Massachusetts’ harsh winters, as it does not have adequate indoor space.” It also pointed out that the city “routinely grant[s]” floor-area variances to similarly situated applicants.

As the case approached discovery, both sides agreed to mediation before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley on February 2, 2025. On June 13, the City of Cambridge formally announced that a settlement had been reached. “The City of Cambridge is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement with the Harvard Chabad to resolve the dispute currently before the United States District Court,” the statement read. “City officials carefully considered these perspectives in light of applicable local and Federal law.”

The city acknowledged that “this resolution may not reflect the preferences of all residents,” but said it had “concluded that the laws involved mandate the authorization of a new building for the use by the Chabad.” It added, “We anticipate that the new facility will serve the worship needs of its congregation and positively contribute to the broader Cambridge community.”

As part of the agreement, the city will grant the long-delayed building permit for a five-story, seventy-foot-high center that would more than quadruple the shul’s usable space. In addition, Cambridge committed to paying Chabad $540,000 from its free-cash reserve and to holding public hearings aimed at amending local zoning rules to prevent future religious discrimination.

“This agreement affirms every principle we fought for,” said Yehudah Buchweitz, the lead attorney representing the Chabad center. He added that although the core terms were now public, Cambridge still must complete several remaining steps before the deal is fully finalized.

For the Cambridge Chabad community, the outcome is more than bricks and permits. The new building will link two historic homes with a modern core featuring a large beis medrash, classrooms, a kosher kitchen, a preschool wing, and a rooftop event space. If all moves forward smoothly, construction could begin after the fall 2025 term, with a target completion date of late 2027.

The ramifications of this case are already being felt well beyond Cambridge. Other Chabad centers facing zoning opposition are watching closely. Legal experts have called this one of the most significant RLUIPA settlements in New England, a warning shot to municipalities tempted to use land-use laws as a tool of exclusion. “When governments think they can bury faith groups in red tape, this case shows they’re not going to get away with it,” Buchweitz said.

Now, with federal court oversight in place and the city legally bound to comply, the Chabad house in Cambridge is finally moving forward. The fight is over. The shul is staying—and it’s growing.