San Diego City Councilman Jim Madaffer has resolved a dispute that almost left Young Israel of San Diego without a home.

When Sean Jones, a city building inspector, toured an office building at Navajo Road and Golfcrest Drive, he was surprised to see approximately 70 chairs placed theater style in Suite 103.  The door to the suite bears the nameplate YISD.

Finding that there was no second exit from the room, Jones decided that the premises were in violation of the city fire code which requires that there be more than one way out of a room where 50 or more people are assembling.  Accordingly, he informed the landlord of the building at 7290 Navajo Road that Suite 103 would have to be vacated "immediately."

"Do not use this area for assembly purposes until a chance of occupancy is issued and posted on the premises for such use," an Oct 11 official notice from Jones' colleague Melody Negrete instructed landlord Lee A. Homer.
 
The tenant of suite 103, Young Israel of San Diego, was stunned when it learned from landlord Homer that it would have to vacate the premises.  The Orthodox congregation had occupied the suite for approximately eight years.  Where was it to go now-and on such short notice?

Richard Goodwin, the immediate past president of the congregation, telephoned the office of Councilman Madaffer for help.  After Council staffmember Jay Wilson was sent out on a fact-gathering mission, the issue soon was resolved.

Having seen about 70 chairs, Jones had assumed that they were regularly being filled by that many people.  "From your lips to God's ears!" leaders of the congregation might have replied, had they understood the assumption Jones made. 

Although the congregation has been trying to increase its membership, relatively few Orthodox Jews live within walking distance of the shul, which is located across the street from the main hiking path of Cowles Mountain.  A large new condominium project now being built across Navajo Road brightens the congregation's hopes for more members.

But in the meantime, it is sometimes a struggle just to get a daily minyan of the ten men required to conduct Orthodox services.  There aren't that many more people attending Shabbat services.  About the only time as many as 50 people ever would be in the room would be for the High Holidays, congregants said.

Learning this, Jones and Tony Khalil, a senior engineer in the neighborhood code compliance department, expressed willingness to rescind the "notice to vacate" and to ask the congregation led by Rabbi Chaim Hollander for its written agreement not to conduct meetings for over 50 people on the premises.  
Dr. Ed Federman, the new president of the congregation, greeted the news with relief when HERITAGE reached him by cell phone while he was making hospital rounds.

Immediate Past President Goodwin said although the congregation for some time has been thinking of moving to other quarters, there are a very limited number of suitable places within walking distance.  Now, he said, the congregation can chart its future without feeling it is under undue time pressure.

Madaffer told the HERITAGE on Thursday, Oct. 18, that the near-eviction boiled down to a case of poor communications.  Once the city and the congregation understood the true situation, the problem was resolved.