A year after Hancock Park received its HPOZ designation, amidst allegations the drive for preservation was actually fueled by community opposition to teardowns and development by Orthodox Jews moving into the neighborhood, things take an uglier turn. The Jewish Journal reports that Yom Kippur evening services (Kol Nidrei) were interrupted on Friday as two city Building & Safety inspectors who informed the congregation that it was violating its conditional use permit by holding services past 8pm and needed to vacate the premises immediately:
After the congregant told the inspectors that they would have to remove the worshippers by force, one by one, the city officials left after 15 minutes and the service continued at the 5353 W. 3rd St. facility. The incident was followed by an apology from Mayor Villaraigosa, City Councilmen Tom LaBonge and Jack Weiss, as well as promise for "a full investigation and initiated a cultural sensitivity training program for Department of Building and Safety employees." Apparently one irate neighbor, a longtime opponent to the Orthodox Yavneh Hebrew Academy, the school and synagogue running the religious services, called the city a week prior to the holiday to inform them "that on the eve of Yom Kippur the stipulated 8 p.m. closing time for services would likely be violated." To which we have to ask, dude, why mess with the Jews? Wouldn't your energy be better spent fighting the real enemy?
· City Building & Safety inspectors briefly interrupt Kol Nidrei services at Hancock Park shul [Jewish Journal]