Having been barred from entering the Chaim Albert shul at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, community members gathered outside the hospital complex for a menorah lighting and rally, urging for the shul to be reopened.
Amidst years of struggle, the Jewish community connected to the Chaim Albert Synagogue at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center (KJMC) held a menorah lighting outside the hospital complex after being denied access to the synagogue. The gathering, held on the seventh night of Chanukah, was both a celebration and a statement in the face of opposition.
The Chaim Albert shul, a standalone building located within the KJMC complex, has remained off-limits to the Kingsbrook Jewish community since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The synagogue was originally established in 1928 as part of Kingsbrook’s mission to serve the Jewish community, complete with a kosher kitchen and a focus on religious and cultural inclusion.
After Kingsbrook’s merger with Brookdale and Interfaith Hospitals to form One Brooklyn Health (OBH), the community faced increasing restrictions. OBH has maintained a ban on religious services in the synagogue, citing COVID-related policies, despite lifting similar restrictions elsewhere. Weekly minyanim, holiday services, and even requests for Yom Kippur davening have been rejected, prompting frustration and outrage among local Jews.
Despite these barriers, the Kingsbrook Jews organized an outdoor menorah lighting on the sidewalk outside the synagogue building, located at E 49th Street and Rutland Avenue. The event symbolized light amid darkness, much like the Maccabean Revolt commemorated during Chanukah. Attendees shared food, prayed, and upheld a 96-year-old tradition of Jewish religious services tied to Kingsbrook’s founding.
“The menorah lighting reminds us that just as the Maccabees fought to preserve Jewish practices, we too must stand up for our religious rights,” said one attendee.
The Kingsbrook community is urging One Brooklyn Health to honor its mission statement, which promises to “respect the diversity of our communities.” They argue that the closure of the synagogue—a vibrant Jewish institution forced to suspend services only due to pandemic-related orders—contradicts OBH’s commitment to cultural and religious inclusion.
Community members have also pointed out discrepancies in OBH’s policies. While Yom Kippur services were denied, OBH recently hosted a Gospel Fest in October 2024, sparking accusations of selective accommodation.
Community leaders are calling on New York Governor Kathy Hochul to address the issue and ensure the preservation of the Chaim Albert Synagogue. They highlight the historical and cultural significance of the synagogue, which was built with funds from the Jewish community nearly a century ago.
“This is the wrong neighborhood to erase Jewish heritage,” said a local organizer. “Kingsbrook was built with a Jewish purpose, and we’re not going to let that legacy disappear.”
The event was supported by Shomrim, who ensured attendees felt safe and secure as they gathered for this symbolic lighting.
For more information about the Kingsbrook Shul and its history, visit kingsbrookshul.com. Community members are encouraged to reach out to local officials to advocate for the reopening of the synagogue and the continuation of its sacred traditions.
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I don’t get it. It never belonged to Chabad. It wasn’t a Chabad moisad. The hospital closed, and so did the shul. I didn’t see this reaction when other Jewish hospitals were sold years ago when the Rebbe lived here. It’s the property of one Brooklyn, not the Schunah. Don’t get these people.There is a reason elected officials are reluctant to get involved. Its not a Chabad moised period.If it was illegal it would have been stopped in court. Mendy and Musshkies get real. at the same time, it is disgusting to ignore a community and build something against our values, we still arent entitled to it. did chabad raise money for the shul? did they pay electric? did they pay ac? rent? cleaning? it’s not ours. i think the re should be affordable housing built for our community and we build our own shul on that spot to replace the older one.
The Shul has many legal and political options which have yet to be pursued. The original purpose, as evidenced by historical newspapers show donative intent, equitable rights and cypres doctrine rights.
This situation is more than who donated the money- it’s why it was donated and why the Shul should be protected and preserved by NYS which funds OBH which is underwater
Affordable housing is mostly studios and one bedrooms with only a 15% community district set set aside. The Shul never closed and was promised by nys under vital brooklyn it would remain open in an RFP soc. See full kingsvrolk Shul website doe more
where does the article mention chabad!? There was an active shul that was closed down and locals want it back.
No one’s asking for it to be a “chabad Moisad”. the synagogue was built with money from contributions that was meant for the synagogue nobody has a right to close it down sell the building to use for profit for another part of the hospital. It was built as a separate structure with 5,000 Plaques on the walls from all Jewish people who gave money for the synagogue and wish it to stay as a synagogue.
Fyi the house of worship for the non-jews has been open and functioning in the hospital and hours has been locked under security.
I prayed there before covid and was escorted out on that Friday night by the security personnel and my personal belongings are still locked in the synagogue.
Not quite sure what you mean:
“I didn’t see this reaction when other Jewish hospitals were sold years ago when the Rebbe lived here”
1) The Chaim Albert Synagogue is a stand alone building which was built by the same Jews who built the hospital.
It’s not a chaple or a room in the hospital. It’s a proper shul which was built on the property purchased by the local Jewish community at the time.
The shul is a beautiful shul, built in the same style as all proper shuls where built at the time. Tall ceiling, large beautiful stained glass windows, stone floors, Jewish themed light fixtures etc.
This is not part of the hospital.
2) the shul was an active shul all these years up until the community was barred from entering due to Covid restrictions, since the corridor leading to the shul building is shared with people visiting the hospital as well.
3) A shul is a shul. The Rebbe wanted very much that no shul should close, even when the demographics of the surrounding neighborhood has changed, and it became difficult to keep it open. Regardless, this shul is different:
4) the local Jewish community has been davening there without interruption for nearly 100 years. I ask you:
If this was a lehavdil an active Church or Mosque, which was built with private money by people people of that faith would anyone dear close it down to sell to developers to make affordable housing?
Kingsbrook is still open and accessible through Winthrop entrance which i walked through to get to synagogue building and take pics 6 mos ago. Why is Henna White – the Chair of Kingsbrook for over 20 years, denying accessible to her fellow Lubavitcher Jews when the Chair ( Henna White ) does not even get a salary? There was never a board.of directors vote to close synagogue and there was never a legal eviction- the torahs and books are still there. We need to start contacting the politicians who fund OBH
Henna White is the unpaid Chair of Kingsbrook for over 20 years and is a member of the Lubavtich community. She has the power to fire the ceo of kingsbrool and is considered to be the bias of kingsbrook.
Click below for a deja vu of what happened in Crown Heights years ago and how the same thing is going to happen again unless prominent Jews have the guts to speak out to the Governor.
https://theawarenesscenter.blogspot.com/2011/02/brooklyn-ny-religious-women-protest.html – contains video link of previous protests against Henna White – Click link
One Brooklyn Health (“OBH”) is run by the following three titled officers of the Board of One Brooklyn Health. Each of the following three persons appoint the rest of the Board of Directors, and alternate the Chairperson title of One Brooklyn Health annually:
Here are the Kingpins of One Brooklyn Health.
Alexander Rov’t – Russian Jewish Billionaire ( former Chair of Brookdale Hospital – Current Chair of One Brooklyn Health)
Reverend Robert Waterman – (former Chair of Brookdale Hospital – Current Vice Chair of One Brooklyn Health)
Henna White – (former Chair of Kingsbrook Hospital for years – Current Secretary of One Brooklyn Health)