DALLAS — Rabbi Yaakov Rich takes a walk twice a day to his son's home on Mumford Court in a North Dallas neighborhood. For him, it's only two blocks from the home that doubles as an Orthodox Jewish synagogue known as Congregation Toras Chaim.
"I know that a lot of other types of religious groups are much greater, and yet we seem to have the spotlight focused on us," Rich said.
It is a place that has divided this North Dallas neighborhood. The rabbi says the congregation has 10-12 Orthodox Jews who show up for morning and evening worship in the home every day. Rich also says about 30 people come for the Sabbath, but more than half of them walk to the synagogue.
Just last month, the congregation won a civil suit between a neighbor and the homeowners' association. But this week, the City of Dallas filed suit, saying the congregation and the homeowner are operating without a certificate of occupancy.
"We've been in communication with the city, and we're surprised they chose to file when they did," said Justin Butterfield. He's an attorney with the Liberty Institute, an organization that takes on cases to protect religious freedom.
"For more than a year, the city has told Congregation Toras Chaim (CTC) that it is welcome to operate in the single family house it currently occupies, but it has to follow the same rules applicable to all places of worship," wrote Dallas First Assistant City Attorney Christopher Bowers.
"What the city is asking us to do not only is not fair — given the size of the congregation — it would effectively shut down the congregation immediately," Rabbi Rich said.
The city attorney tells News 8 that the congregation isn't exempt from city code. A building inspector has cited the home, saying it needs 13 parking spaces and two front entrances to operate in such a manner.
"CTC [The Congregation] has failed to comply with fire safety, handicap accessibility, and parking requirements, or made any meaningful progress toward compliance," Bowers wrote.
News 8 met with several neighbors who expressed serious concern with the home. All the neighbors we talked with did not want to be identified out of fear of appearing to be religiously intolerant. But the neighbors tell News 8 that the parked cars in the neighborhood often make it difficult for residents to safely exit the alleyway. The neighbors have also complained about the alleged decline in the home values surrounding the residence being used as a synagogue.
Butterfield, the Liberty Institute attorney, said the congregation was working with an architect to make changes, adding that the city knew and filed the suit anyway.
"We're either bankrupted by trying to meet their ridiculous demands, or we're bankrupted by their demands for a $1,000 per day," the attorney said, referencing the estimated daily fine for being out of compliance.
The attorney tells News 8 it would cost the congregation roughly $200,000 to make the modifications the city requires. He said that's simply not affordable for a small congregation with a couple dozen families.
Rabbi Rich said he and most of the Orthodox Jews who attend walk to the home instead of driving because of Sabbath restrictions.
Some neighbors have grown tired of this battle, but Rabbi Rich would say he's grown tired of the fight, too. Both sides are asking for peace; the question is: How do both sides get there?
