Jewish members of the Kingsbrook Shul Congregation held a Menorah lighting outside the shuttered Chaim Albert Synagogue in Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center.
The congregants are being denied access to the Chaim Albert Synagogue, which is a separate synagogue building, landlocked inside the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center (“KJMC”) complex of buildings.
The menorah lighting on the quiet sidewalk of E 49 th Street brought light to the recent years of darkness at KJMC. There was food, prayer and the continued tradition of Jewish religious services that goes back to1928.
Kingsbrook wants to sell the Synagogue building, which was donated by Jews for Jews, to pay for the financial failures of Brookdale and Interfaith Hospitals.
To find out more about how Kingsbrook was founded with a Jewish purpose and originally built with a synagogue and a kosher kitchen, go to https://www.kingsbrookshul.com/.
If kingsbrook Chas vesholom sells it will be detrimental to the future if our community. We have a huge monster shelter for MICA people. Go Google it to see what’s coming . We certainly don’t need another one.
It’s truly a beautiful synagogue, built in a very traditional dignified style. I sincerely hope it will not be destroyed in order to pay for the hospital’s debts, especially as it was not paid for by the hospital or government but by private individuals for the benefit of the Jewish community. This is not the fair or just to allow the opposition to do such a thing, G-d forbid!
the members should go for legal advice and hire a good attorney.
What else can we do to save the shul?
It’s frustrating to see that our Shul, which used to bring together 150 people for prayers every Shabbat, has stayed closed for so long. While other synagogues have opened their doors, ours remains shut, citing Covid-19 as the reason. When in-fact the reason is because they want to sell the building….there are bylaws protecting our Shul that are being ignored. This is an illegal action that needs to be stopped
Nice
They are trying to sell this building to the state of New York with plans to turn it into a “home” for pyschiatric patients with mental challenges, also known as a homeless shelter for the emotionally disturbed. Add that to the growing list of shelters in Crown Heights.
The hospital shut down a Lubavitch Shul to make room for NYS to build a homeless shelter. This is a civil rights discrimination on the highest level and members of the Shul (hopefully with the backing and financing if needed from the CH community) need to file a BIG lawsuit against the hospital and state
Welcome to NY, the land of the free. Except if you are Jewish, then you get forcibly locked out from this Synagogue in 2020 because of Covid, keep you locked out for almost 5 years (again, because of Covid) and now quietly attempt to sell the property to a “non-profit” (which is 100% funded by NY) so they can build a homeless shelter for those released from rikers island who are considered “mentally challenged” The subway pusher last week in the horrible attack btw is legally considered “mentally challenged” think of what an entire building of such individuals will do… Read more »
Does the sale of this Wingate/East Flatbush Synagogue to be converted into a homeless shelter need to get approved by Brooklyn Community Board 9 like all the other recent shelters in the area had to, or this is considered a private entity since the hospital is privately owned (although it’s Government funded)
It’s a private sale from NY state sponsored (your tax dollars) cooperation, doesn’t need approval process from Community Board 9 like they did by Clarkson Ave shelters with their yes votes.
If Community Board 9 moves fast, if they would be involved, the construction would be completed and the homeless would already be inside, Community Board 9 doesn’t mess around when it comes to shelters, look at the three hundred bed Homeless shelter being built by 329 Clarkson Avenue between New York Ave & Nostrand, construction is at record speed, that’s right near the Prospect Lefferts Gardens Chabad community.
There is also across the street another location that the city is starting construction soon for a homeless shelter at 777 Rutland Rd, Brooklyn, NY 11203 and half a block away construction is almost complete for a HUGE 12 story low income shelter at 832 Rutland Rd / 568 Utica Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11203 Plus nearby is the mega homeless shelter project by 681 Clarkson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11203 Not to mention the existing shelters nearby at 781 Clarkson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11203 and 560 Winthrop St, Brooklyn, NY 11203 which those shelter “residents” contribute a significant amount of crime… Read more »
This shul used to be my favorite place to go on Shemini Atzeres night!
where is rabbi chazan?
Rabbi Chazan is the Director of Chaplaincy Services at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center & the Rutland Nursing Home It was my decision not to inform nor invite Rabbi Chazan to the unauthorized Kingsbrook Menorah lighting because I thought I would put his job.at risk if he knew ahead of time what I was planning. The menorah lighting was my idea. I brought the electric menorah, the battery pack and the tables. I did the organizing, advertising and the inviting. https://onebrooklynhealth.org/about-obh/leadership – scroll down to see the three officers (Members) of the Board of Directors of One Brooklyn Health who are… Read more »
are you sure for the same reason he might of allowed it?
It doesnt make sense that the closure could come to be. I remember this shul not so long ago in its vibrant days. I attended a few of their Chanuka parties during the daytime and they were so special.
There seems to be a lot of documentation and legal standing that this should be pursued Kol hakovod to whoever put this documentation together and if people do persevere there is hope that this can be overturned.
File a Lawsuit asap. Only way to stop it.
Our Community board is worthless, as we’ve seen they are pro all the other massive shelters in our neighborhood, Something no other community board would allow.
Maybe it’s because many of them don’t live here.
Brooklyn Community Board 9 is part of the problem… In Boro Park their 50 member community board, not only rejects every liberal proposal (like homeless shelters, citi bikes, protected bike lanes), but they advocate for family friendly enhancements to the neighborhood to support local large families
Four years ago Community Board 9 quietly approved numerous homeless shelters in Crown Heights, deliberately keeping the CH community in the dark for two years until our community by accident found out about it, community board 9 made a few week statements recently against the shelters trying to portray that they are against it, when they literally proposed and approved the shelters.
Talk about putting salt on a wound.
I don’t think it is in community board 9.
And for putting this documentation together. Keep up the good fight! Hashem is blessing you.
i have told years ago members of the shul, that any ‘house of worship’ that is to be sold needs to be approved bt the NYS Division of charity under the nys attorney general’s office. The synagogue can make an official legal petition to the nys attorney general’s office and the case can/will be heard by a judge before it can be sold. There are specific laws for a NYS House of Worship that are different than regular real estate laws. One problem is they cant find the by-laws for this synagaoue under NYS documnets (I’ve been told). I told… Read more »
Thank you for the great advice contained in your comment.
Your comment suggests incorporating now under the NYS Religious Corporations Law, regardless of whether there was a previous incorporation. The current members of the shul are the owners of the synagogue.
https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/religious-corporations-law/#!tid=N8FFC7B4E63DB465A86595D96C80EA8EE
Additionally, the historical newspaper record shows alternative evidence of the shul’s beginnings and founding. However, you are absolutely correct that an incorporation under the NYS Religious Corp Act would be helpful. And your advice on making a complaint to the NYS Atty General is on point as well.
https://ag.ny.gov/file-complaint/charities-and-fundraising
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/regulatory-documents/religious_corporations_disposition_assets.pdf
Jay
Firstly, the menorah lighting was beautiful. Secondly, kingsbrook has a lot of doctor offices there. All types of doctors, like dermatology, dentist. Etc
I really hope this is only the beginning of a new shul
We most do everything to reopen the shul!
After the Menorah lighting came to a close, the heavens opened up in biblical fashion with torrential rains and flooding. A rare winter thunder and lightning storm was a sign that Hashem was not happy with how business was being conducted at Kingsbrook.