Hollywood and Brooklyn Neighborhood Compromise on Passover Conflict
by Zach Pontz
Producers have agreed to re-coordinate the filming of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” in South Williamsburg after the Orthodox Jewish community leaders there complained it would block streets and hog parking spaces over Passover, according to the New York Post.
“We expressed the importance for Spider-Man to ‘pass-over’ filming during Passover, and they have answered our call,” said Councilman Stephen Levin (D-Brooklyn), who helped broker the compromise with Columbia Pictures, the Mayor’s Office and community leaders.
“Thank you for letting my people park.”
Columbia Pictures had wanted to close the streets surrounding the Marcy Avenue Armory at Lynch Street to film the sequel from March 22 to 27. Passover begins at sundown March 25.
Most of the production vehicles will now be parked in private lots with the exception of “10 car lengths of parking outside the building,” said Marybeth Ihle, a spokeswoman for the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. All filming will continue to take place inside the Armory as originally planned.
Rabbi David Niederman, president of the United Jewish Organization of Williamsburg, praised the solution. “I’m happy that an agreement was reached, and they’re not going to disrupt the preparation of the holiday — and the holiday itself,” he said. “It was also a matter of safety by putting kids in danger with extra vehicles on the street. This will ensure the community and children will be safe.”