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When NotTheMama and I were first married, we moved to Park Slope, a neighborhood with diversity, brownstones and *one* Orthodox synagogue. And it shared its space (with acrimony and lawsuits on both sides) with a Conservative synagogue. To be precise, they had the upper sanctuary, and we had the basement, which was a preschool the rest of the time. The preschool was nice about our needs during weekday holidays.
Several years later, we got an opportunity to purchase our own building, and we took it. This meant a settlement in the lawsuits that made no one happy, so was probably fair. However. The building that we purchased was in really bad shape. It had been built as a synagogue but when that had merged with another, they sold the building to the American Legion, who basically let it fall apart. The easiest, least expensive room to renovate was, in fact, the basement. So, for the next several years, we continued to pray in a basement - but it was *our* basement. It was also nicely decorated so we could use it as a rental hall. And, of course, we didn't share it with anyone else.
Then NTM and I moved. We moved on a Sunday. Tuesday was already Sukkot, a holiday. Excuse me. Let me rephrase from the Yiddish. We moved two days before a major holiday. However, we'd heard about the Yavneh Minyan, and it was close to the new apartment, so we went there. And we felt right at home - friendly people, more or less standard liturgy, amazing sermons, Modern Orthodox sensibilities *and*....it was underground. :)
Not anymore. As of this weekend, we are holding services in our new quarters - a smaller space in the same building *but* above ground, and much nice *and* vermin free. I'm still amazed that I won't be climbing first down then up stairs. It is very cool.
Several years later, we got an opportunity to purchase our own building, and we took it. This meant a settlement in the lawsuits that made no one happy, so was probably fair. However. The building that we purchased was in really bad shape. It had been built as a synagogue but when that had merged with another, they sold the building to the American Legion, who basically let it fall apart. The easiest, least expensive room to renovate was, in fact, the basement. So, for the next several years, we continued to pray in a basement - but it was *our* basement. It was also nicely decorated so we could use it as a rental hall. And, of course, we didn't share it with anyone else.
Then NTM and I moved. We moved on a Sunday. Tuesday was already Sukkot, a holiday. Excuse me. Let me rephrase from the Yiddish. We moved two days before a major holiday. However, we'd heard about the Yavneh Minyan, and it was close to the new apartment, so we went there. And we felt right at home - friendly people, more or less standard liturgy, amazing sermons, Modern Orthodox sensibilities *and*....it was underground. :)
Not anymore. As of this weekend, we are holding services in our new quarters - a smaller space in the same building *but* above ground, and much nice *and* vermin free. I'm still amazed that I won't be climbing first down then up stairs. It is very cool.