Brooklyn Judge Criticizes Hasidic Students for Secret Tunnel Under Synagogue

Brooklyn: A judge really laid into some Hasidic students who were caught digging a secret tunnel under a synagogue. It all went down in court when four of them insisted on going to trial. The judge, Adam Perlmutter, didn’t hold back, saying they were a shame to their families and the Chabad movement.

Two of the students got lucky; their cases were put on hold, and if they stay out of trouble for six months, the charges will be dropped. Most of the others took plea deals, agreeing to stay away from any destructive activities at the temple for three years and pay a small fine.

But the four who refused the deals are now facing trial and could end up in prison. One of them, Yaakov Rothchild, said being banned from the synagogue for three years was worse than jail. The whole situation came to light last year when police found the students hiding in the tunnel, which they claimed was meant to expand the sanctuary.

One of the students, Mendel Gerlitzky, said they were just trying to draw attention to the cause. But the judge wasn’t having it, pointing out that if they really wanted to expand, they should have gone about it the right way—like fundraising and getting permits.

In the end, the judge warned that if any of the students who took the plea deals mess up, they could be banned from the synagogue for five years. It’s a wild story that’s left a mark on the Chabad community.