By COLlive reporter
Congregation Chaim Albert, an Orthodox Jewish synagogue with nearly 100 years of continuous service in East Flatbush, New York, has filed a lawsuit against One Brooklyn Health System, Inc., seeking to protect its historic Shul Building.
The synagogue, located on the grounds of Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, is at risk of demolition as part of a $400 million state-funded redevelopment.
The congregation, also known as the Kingsbrook Shul, is requesting that the court impose a constructive and charitable trust to preserve the building for religious purposes and to establish the congregation’s ownership of the property.
Kingsbrook was founded in the 1920s by New York’s Jewish community to combat widespread antisemitism in healthcare. From its inception, the hospital incorporated Jewish values—including a kosher kitchen and regular prayer services. In 1950, the standalone synagogue was built to serve hospital staff, patients, and the local Jewish community.
Despite decades of assurances—including a 2019 state-issued RFP and continuing through the pandemic—that the Shul would remain untouched amid broader redevelopment, the hospital now plans to sell the synagogue, for residential development, with no provision for its preservation. The congregation, locked out during COVID-19 and repeatedly promised a return, was informed in 2024 that the building would instead be included in the development and sold.
“This Shul has been a pillar of the community for decades,” said longtime member Rabbi Zalman Goldstein. “I raised my family here, celebrated the bris ceremonies of two of my sons, a bar mitzvah, Torah dedications—this is not just a building; it’s a sacred trust. What’s happening is both shocking and wrong.”
Another community member recalled dedicating a Torah in memory of his brother, a beloved cantor at the Shul. “To see that legacy—and the Shul’s enduring presence—abruptly cut off is not only shocking, it is deeply painful,” said another resident, Tzvi Shuchat.
Rabbi Yaacov Behrman, founder of the Jewish Future Alliance, a local advocacy organization, and not involved with the lawsuit, called on Governor Kathy Hochul to intervene.
“I urge Governor Hochul to step in and ensure that this sacred space—an irreplaceable part of New York’s Jewish heritage—is preserved, not erased.”
The lawsuit claims Kingsbrook deliberately kept the building closed long after the public health emergency caused by Covid had passed in order to avoid public backlash over removing an active house of worship. Congregation Chaim Albert is now turning to the courts to prevent the erasure of nearly a century of religious and communal tradition.
Read more in the COLlive Magazine.
…how poorly managed the entire complex is, both the Kingsbrook and state-owned areas. Blocks and blocks of empty buildings in the middle of a housing shortage, but instead of fixing those up, the best idea they can come up with is tearing down the shul.
And yes, we see you, frum lady who’s in the middle of all this…
Yasher Choach!
It should be with mazel and may thet win. We don’t need more shelters. Our young families spend so much money to live on that area. They are our future !
Why can’t we create Kingsbrook into a woman’s facility with a kimperterm heim included. Like La Isha. It’s so needed! If only we had REAL leadership!!
Yasher Choach!
For the sake of the history and the future of this shul, thank you to those who are fighting the good fight. Please keep it up; we can not just abandon years of history and the hard work that was putting into keeping this shul alive and thriving. Just look at all the names on that wall each representing a dedicated member, their family and their ties and connections to this shul. Who ever can get involved in this worthy cause kol hakavod.
What a shame that two of the three officers of the Board of One Brooklyn Health are Jews themselves. The boss of Brookdale Hospital is Russian Jewish Billionaire Alexander Rovt, and the boss of Kingsbrook is Henna White, who has been active in many Lubavitcher causes.
Hosptial is ignoring the congregation’s request to get an estimate to fix leaky roof and instead is allowing synagogue building to get destroyed.
Historical Newspapers | Kingsbrook Shul – look at the Synagogue now – very sad
Why is there no tarp on synagogue building roof to prevent further damage and destruction?
Why can’t shul get an estimate for roof ?
Why isn’t Assemb Brian Cunningham asking for shul access to NYS ?
Shmuel Shuchat, zichrono livracha, was the driving force behind organizing the weekly Shabbos minyanim for all the patients at Kingsbrook for going back since 30 years ago. Thanks to his dedication, countless patients were able to enjoy full Shabbos services with dignity and joy. But his role didn’t stop there. He was also a tireless patient advocate, constantly fighting for their rights, their care, and their basic humanity. He demanded better treatment for others who often had no voice. What was truly remarkable about Shmuel was how he found the time and energy to carry out so much chesed. After… Read more »
if I recall correctly,it was a different management,as well as chaplain then as well!
Please email whatever info / photos you have so I can include Shmuel Shuchat on my website and fill in the gaps of the shul’s history.
Historical Newspapers | Kingsbrook Shul
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so this was a Jewish-run hospital that had a shul that Chabad benefited from. If we don’t own a title to property or proof that this shul was run by us how can we demand that its ours?
It’s a community shul. The hospital holds it in trust for the community, and has no right to close it. People donated the money to establish and maintain it so it could serve the community, not so the hospital could demolish it for profit.
Cy Pres Doctrine – Restricted Asset – Not for Profit Law “Where assets were received and held by the corporation either for a purpose specified as Type B in paragraph (b) of section 201 (Purposes), or were legally required to be used for a particular purpose, the distribution of such assets to one or more [entities] engaged in activities substantially similar to those of the dissolved corporation.”[FN3]……It is, thus, clear that assets held for a particular use may not be used for other corporate purposes in the operation of the NFP, including for payment of debts” Matter of Friends for… Read more »
This article is remiss to mention Shmuel Shuchat and his family who were the driving force in reviving the shul 30 years ago and for keeping it running for over a decade
Sounds like Anshei Kartufel (Shmuel Kunda) from When Zaidy was Young!!!
I hope they win the lawsuit