Rockland County, NY – If you need advice on getting your building plans approved, you might want to talk to Lipa Schmeltzer.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Despite the fact that the Village of Airmont has been sued twice in Federal Court for religious discrimination, the Chassidic superstar faced no obstacles in getting plans for a synagogue in his home approved. Lipa’s secret? Playing by the rules.
From the start, Lipa made sure that both the planning board and his neighbors knew that he was committed to being flexible and cooperative. When the planning board decided that a proposed dome violated zoning regulations, plans for the dome were scrapped. When a neighbor voiced concern that headlights from cars leaving the parking lot might shine into his house late at night, Lipa volunteered to plant trees on his neighbor’s lawn to block the offending headlights. The Shul, Beis Medrash D’Airmont is open only on Shabbos.
In an exclusive interview with VIN News, Lipa stressed how grateful he was for the opportunity to make a Kiddush Hashem saying, “Everything is doable if you just do it right. The town said yes because they saw we were cooperative. We listened to everything they wanted us to do and we did it.”
Lipa’s attorney, Ryan Karben, explained that getting approval was a relatively smooth, if time consuming process, saying, “We found the village to constructive and cooperative. The spirit of cooperation we manifested from the beginning prevented this from escalating into something divisive. The first rule is to be a good neighbor and then hopefully, people will be a good neighbor to you as well.”
Obviously that that approach worked well. Daniel Kraushaar, Village Attorney for the Village of Airmont confirmed that Lipa received site plan approval last night and has been given the green light to go ahead with his plans.
“This was a textbook case of an applicant and board working together,” said Kraushaar. “The applicant was extremely accommodating. It would be nice if all applications were handled in the same fashion and that both the applicant and the board could work as well as they did last night.”
Baruch Hashem. Lipa may think he is just a poshiter yid but what he doesn’t know is that he brings simcha and geshmak to so many yidden out there. I’m sure there are many chassidish boys on the fringe that get a huge chizuk from him and Kiruv rechokim is no small thing. He should continue to have Hatzlacha and Bracha in all his endeavors and be a Keli to be Marbeh Kvod Shomayim.
Wonderful news for Lipa and his supporters.
The shul should be named, “khal Kiddush Hashem – Ateres Lipa”!
Rabbi Viener’s Shul in Wesley Hills has worked with the community and board in the same way and has enjoyed the same success in its Building Project.
Let’s strive to be good neighbors instead of forcing our way and making enemies. Is Hashem proud of us when we build a Shul or Yeshiva that makes our host country’s citizens enraged enough to mobilize against us?
Is he becoming a Rebbe? first the hagadah now a shul…
B’H Mir Zollen Alla Oif Hiben Inzira Hentelech Tzim Tata In Himmel
Wow!! B”H MAZEL TOV!!!!
This guy has a shule now? Wow what has the world come to?
Yasher Koach Lipa.
While I am very happy that Lipas shul gained approval, the circumstances were markedly different from the original Airmont shul cases. The zoning and planning boards at that time would not contemplate the idea of any type of shul and tried to enact laws which would forbade groups of 10 or more people meeting on a regular basis (i.e. a minyan). They were trying to prevent frum people from moving into the area. The only way for frum people to have a shul in that neighborhood was to bring the case to court.
In fact had the original court cases never occurred, Lipas shul would likely have never been more than a dream.
This guy can sing his way out of anything.
Only open on shabbos so what’s the problem with headlights?
What’s a poshiter yid running a Shul. Hatzlacha raba Lipa in the zchus of the simcha you bring to yidden hashem should bentch you with gezunt parnassah and nachas
As much as I disagree with Lipa on other issues, I must congratulate him for behaving like a mench during the processes, I live in Monsey, the jews here think that the only way of getting things done is by pushing themselves thru laws, filing law suits and claiming anti-semitism at each turn, thus angrying everyone around them. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you Monsey is the “Yir Hachilul hashem” of the world.
Maybe I will buy his hagada after all.
The feds got him to sing…
It is a shame that “playing by the rules” is newsworthy. I remember the story of the two chasidim who came to America in the 1920s and asked the rebbe if they should say they were younger in order to find work or older in order to get benefits sooner. replied the rebbe, “How about telling the truth?” While it is a shame that it is so unique that it makes the news, kudos to VIN for highlighting it to be m’chazek others to do the same. Looking forward to the day when all the news is recognizably good news.
Smart move. Why risk being thrown out of every shul if you can build your own.
WOW mazel tov Lipa!!
What can i say more than this, that You are truly a “Moisef v’hoilech”!!!
Your manners and Honesty shows and reflects your inner golden heart & your Middos!
Keep it up –
The, Schmelzer Schul .
Lipa Schmeltzer well known famous talented singer, became as well a author of seforim, as VIN has learned us about his Published Hagudah, now im reading here he’s becoming a Rebbbe of a Shul, i think its about time to Revive the Old famous picture Slogan has white house with obama in it: “Lipa 4 President”
he should move a Step forward & Run for Politics not nessecarely president, but he shall Run 4 Office & take some Political role, like City Council like greenfield, or Congress like yossi gestetner, he has alot of carizma he can run & win, just ronald reagen. so next time he’ll need to aprove somthing he can be in office & have the connections to get permits right away & help other ppl.
(Airmont Resident)
Most of these lawsuits have started several years ago, The Mayor Dennis Kay (kamenetsky) works with the Community, has also settled a case last year with the Kolbisov shul to allow them to build a nice shul, mikvah, kiddush room, and gallery for the women. The mayor is also attending the annual Melave Malka for the Kolbisov shul.
Well with all those colored bekithches he should have opened a shul a long time ago ! btw does the kiddush take longer than the Davening ?
To all of the developers in Monsey, to all of the Rosh Yeshivas and Rebbes who fight for variances to the disgust of our non-Jewish neighbors, to all of the Mosdos who do whatever they feel is necessary to benefit themselves and their children personally at the expense of numerous chilulei Hashem, Lipa has proven that the answer is NOT ALWAYS “Eisav soneh L’Yaakov!”
I hope this Kiddush Hashem makes the local news, and residents see that we Jews can behave properly and with consideration for our neighbors. Way to go, Lipa!
If aj wouldn’t be fighting the village all these years there would not have been even one shul in airmont thanks to him we have about 20
At meetings these are some statements made by previous village officials “who needs them here let them go where they belong” so its not playing by the rules moderator should get their facts and history before posting comments.
I’m happy for lipa and every shul that’s being approved but have the facts first.
Why all those snotty comments about being thrown out of shuls……”A shul doesnt make u a rabbi a rabbi makes the shul”…and who says Lipa is trying to be a rebbe he has a shul thats it….get over it!!! Fargin es Eim Kenst oich huben!!! Lipa Good Luck!!!!
What is the address of the current shul and does Lipa attend every Shabbos. If so, does he daven for the amud too?
Schmeltzer Shul-ent .
so the big question is
do we say shehechiyanu with or without a bracha?
Common knowledge: Lipa is an am ho-oretz. While he may be idolized by some silly people who are of the same feather… he is only that; AN ENTERTAINER. I think it’s time to wake up and see where this is heading. It is very sad that people are so unlearned and therefore despise everything to do with b’nei torah (yes there are plenty of erliche yidden still around even nowadays. Just take the effort to seek one.) Chush boys like Lipa are now the substitute for all that was once upon a time important to all religious jews. What a shame.
Chag Kasher V’sameach to all yidden. May we all be zoche to do teshuva and serve Hashem with true Simcha until the coming of Moshiach, Amen.
To Reb Lipa: Getting approval was a kiddush hashem (playing by the book or rules) I just hope the shul itself will be run by the book, as well (the Shulchan Aruch) Tfillah Bizmanah, No Talking by davening and leining etc. that will be the ultimate test of Kiddush Hashem…
aleh vehatzlach… your director
So, Lipa will answer all hilchos Shabbos, Yorah Daia, Even Ezer shailos now? There are deep problems within our community if we look to a performer, instead of a Rav, for inspiration.
One thing you need to notice is that in New Hempstead also in Rockland they put up shuls and no one said a word or made a problem. The reason is you got some fine Jews on the village board that makes sure the Yidden are protected. So you can do this in a fine and a quiet way that doensnt bother nobody.
i’d love to hear his shabbos hagadol drasha : how to succeed as a poshiter yid!
Rockstar Rebbe of Rockland.
No one claims that Lipa is not a wonderful nice person. He is a baal chesed., kind hearted and all the good things that you can say. But But he is a performer, a singer, a actor , a badchan, and when need be a clown. He is a good one at that. Does that mean he should be a leader a Rov.
If he decided to open an office as a pediatrician (or an Obstetrician) or an accountant or a lawyer, would you still say “yea”, but he is such a nice person he is mommish such an erliche he really is moiser nefesh when he goes to a patient. He has much better bedside manners than your doctor. He can convince a jury better. Don’t be rediculous. Its sick
Shame on you #40 Reb Lipa never went to chush he held a very inspiring drusha and made a kiddush shem shamyim he brings people closer to hashem not like you who because of you people leave yiddishkeit lipa is a tzaddik who has a mission in life and that is how through his talent can he be mikarev yidden and he does a great job.
After seeing LIPA’S Hagada I decided that he is some sort of the yiddishe version of “Mickey Mouse”…
Soon Lipa will make a machzor for Yom Kipur with pictures of him doing all the Al-Cheits…. like a Real “REBBE”….
Lipa is not pretending to be a rebbe. He is a warm, open man who wants to make his home open for davening, probably both for his own convenience (he must have a handful of young children KAH BH) and because he wants to open his home to others. I wish I could daven there, but I am seven time zones and an ocean away.