By Morris Malakoff, JTNews Correspondent
Rabbi Zalman Heber would like to tear down a five-car garage that occupies the lot behind his west Tacoma home and build a 7,700-square-foot synagogue for his Chabad congregation.
Some of his neighbors are fine with the idea. Many are not.
Some object to the scale of the proposed building in the middle of their residential neighborhood; others are concerned about traffic and parking.
Others seem to have a bigger fear — one that has hints of anti-Semitism.
All of these concerns came into public view at a public meeting held by the City of Tacoma on September 18 which was called to specifically discuss the technical issues surrounding variances to current zoning codes that the congregation would need to put the large building on a relatively small plot of land.
After a presentation by the building architects and the rabbi’s attempts to address anticipated issues with the building, the floor was thrown open to public comment.
More than 100 people on both sides of the issue had packed the conference room in downtown Tacoma.
Skeptics of the project initially spoke about a lack of parking and possible blocked views. Supporters answered with rebuttals about many in the congregation strictly observing Jewish laws and walking to services.
But things veered away from the mandated discussion shortly after public comment began.
Seattle real estate agent Kent Swigard told the group that he has sold homes in Seward Park for years and that being within walking distance of a synagogue, particularly an Orthodox congregation, adds value for a specific group of potential buyers who are open to paying a premium for a location within walking distance of services.
“We have a tradition in our community that after services, people come to your house for lunch,” he said. “But if you live more than half a mile or so away, no one will come.”
One opponent took that comment and made it clear that living in a neighborhood that might be desirable for a significant number of Jews was not worth any amount of money.
“I love diversity and that is one of the great things about Tacoma and our neighborhood,” said Virginia Quiring, who lives on the same street as the lot planned for the synagogue. “If what I am hearing is true, then we soon will lose that diversity when all our homes are bought by these people wanting to live near their church. I don’t want to see our street become a Jewish enclave — that scares me!”
Quiring’s comment was probably the most blatant statement of its type during the two-hour meeting. But it was followed with references to the area being a “Brady Bunch” kind of place that was inappropriate for a shul and a few statements that started with “You people….”
Many members of the Jewish community were present and spoke in support of the building.
But it was a resident of the neighborhood, Henry Haas, who also is a member of the Reform congregation Temple Beth El, who tried to bridge the divide and cool down the collective angst.
Haas is an attorney and for many years served as a hearings examiner in similar land use cases.
“What will happen here is that there will be a balance found,” he told the crowd, getting nods of approval from both sides — his neighbors and fellow Jews. “These issues are not uncommon. The city will find a way to address parking and building setbacks and the other issues. The congregation will likely have to give a little and so will our neighborhood. That is the nature of the system.”
Rabbi Heber seemed somewhat taken aback by what he had heard from his neighbors during the meeting.
“I heard more than a few things that gave me a chill,” he said afterward.
He said that when he first presented the plan to the neighbors, he got no resistance. And despite what he heard in the meeting, he still thinks highly of his neighbors and believes that there are ways to come to an agreement and build the synagogue.
“We are here now and happy to be here,” he said. “We are not going anywhere.”
Currently his small congregation meets in his home.
The public meeting was just one step in a process that has been underway since the spring. A decision by the city planning department is due in early November.
That decision is subject to a variety of appeals and reviews before any decision could be considered “final.”