13 Rabbinical Students Charged Over Illegal Tunnel at Brooklyn Synagogue

The students, mostly from Israel, face charges including criminal mischief and reckless endangerment following a January incident at Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters.

Thirteen rabbinical students pleaded not guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges in Brooklyn’s Kings County Supreme Criminal Court.
The charges stem from a melee over an illegal tunnel excavation beneath the historic Chabad synagogue in Brooklyn.
The tunnel, part of an unsanctioned expansion effort, threatened the structural stability of surrounding buildings, leading to temporary closures.
Footage of the January scuffle showed students clashing with police as they attempted to halt the filling of the tunnel.
The incident has reignited disputes within the Chabad community and drawn attention to internal conflicts over the synagogue's expansion.