What I know of the story from friends who attend there:
The building was abandoned in the early nineteenth century and that original congregation handed over the keys to Shearith Israel. Then a new congregation formed in the late nineteenth century and began holding services there under the dollar a year agreement cited. The maintenance, heating, etc were paid for by the new congregation Jeshuat Israel. All went well until maybe five or ten years ago JI needed serious money to put into the building and wanted to sell a set of rimonim made by Paul Revere or his workshop. That’s what the news article calls bells. SI said you can’t sell them, they’re ours. And it’s been lawsuits ever since.
