Old Westbury, NY (April 10, 2026)

The Village of Old Westbury has agreed to pay $19 million to settle a long-running federal lawsuit brought by Rabbi Aaron Konikov and Lubavitch of Old Westbury over the village’s efforts to block construction of a Chabad shul on Glen Cove Road. The settlement, approved by U.S. District Judge Gary Brown in a consent decree signed in March, brings a major legal fight to a close after years of litigation over religious land use and zoning.

The dispute stretches back more than two decades. According to court records and reporting on the case, plans for the shul were first advanced in 1999 on approximately nine acres owned by Rabbi Konikov. In 2001, Old Westbury adopted a rule requiring houses of worship to be built on parcels of at least 12 acres, a change that effectively blocked the proposed synagogue. Village officials also raised objections tied to traffic, parking, noise, and permit filings.

Judge Brown’s consent decree made clear that the settlement cannot be altered unless all parties agree in writing and the court approves the change. The agreement also gives Lubavitch of Old Westbury until January 15, 2027, to apply for a special-use permit to move the project forward. Reporting on the settlement said the payment will be made by the village’s insurers, not directly from village operating funds.

The resolution marks a significant victory for the local kehillah after an unusually long and bitter fight over the right to establish a permanent Jewish house of worship in one of Long Island’s wealthiest communities. Preliminary plans call for a synagogue of just over 20,000 square feet along with parking, meaning the case may now shift from the courtroom to the construction process.