© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Connecticut Attorney General Tong files injunction against demolition of Hartford funeral chapel

The Deborah Chapel located on the corner of Ward and Affleck Street in Hartford, Connecticut. The building is at the center of a debate between Connecticut Attorney General William Tong's office and Congregation Beth Israel.
Nirvani Williams
/
NEPM
The Deborah Chapel located on the corner of Ward and Affleck Street in Hartford, Connecticut. The building is at the center of a debate between Connecticut Attorney General William Tong's office and Congregation Beth Israel.

The office of Connecticut Attorney General William Tong filed an injunction Wednesday to prevent a West Hartford congregation from demolishing a historic funeral chapel.

This move by Tong comes after the congregation did not agree to postpone the chapel's March 21st demolition date. The chapel, known as the Deborah chapel, is located in Hartford's Beth Israel Cemetery.

Tong said while he understands the congregation’s perspective and the burden it puts on them, he sees the historic value of the building.

"We have to balance that with historic preservation and we have to balance that with the import of this building and what it means to the Jewish community at large and Connecticut and our history and preserving that history," he said.

Tong said the court should be scheduling a hearing soon. He said he wants to continue working with the congregation to find more viable options for preservation than demolition.

Scott Lewis, the co-chairman of the congregation's cemetery committee, said there is also a potential new buyer who might be willing to move the building.

The attorney representing Congregation Beth Israel declined to comment.

The Deborah chapel was added to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2022 last May.

Nirvani Williams covers socioeconomic disparities for New England Public Media, joining the news team in June 2021 through Report for America.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Related Content
Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.