The Chaim Albert Synagogue is located within the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center ("KJMC") and has been locked out after nearly a century of being a free shul open to the public for religious services.

The COVID 19 government emergency orders had temporarily suspended access to the hospital synagogue back in 2020.

Additionally, the main hospital entrance to the shul (by Rutland & E 49th) was sold off in December'23 by the hospital for affordable housing, sponsored by NYS Empire State Development ("NYS ESD") under Vital Brooklyn's "Kingsbrook Estates".  The developer and NYS ESD both promised the Jews that they would have uninterrupted access to their synagogue from other entrances.  The hospital was a $26 million dollar beneficiary and very much aware (constructive notice) of the aforementioned promises / representations that were part of the NYS ESD Request for Proposal process preceding the sale of the northern part of Kingsbrook Medical Center abutting Rutland Rd.


After the COVID 19 emergency orders expired in June'23, the Jews wanted back in to their shul.  They asked the hospital for the access to the shul that was previously promised through entrances.  The answer by the hospital is now nisht, (NO) and the not for profit hospital refuses to say who authorized such an order.  Was there a Board of Director's resolution? A not for profit hospital, who serves the public interest must be more transparent with who gave the order to close the shul. 

Why is a 96 yr old synagogue, built by Jews and for Jews being destroyed in the name of building future affordable housing?  Why isn't it being PROTECTED and PRESERVED?  Why is the public in the dark as to who at the hospital gave the orders?  

So the new construction at Kingsbrook Jewish will help the homeless get off the sidewalk and get a roof over their heads, while the Jews get pushed to the sidewalk and will pray under the rain.  The Jews at Kingsbrook are used to the rain over their heads, since the synagogue roof has not been replaced by hospital despite OBH getting $700 million in taxpayer funds in 2021.

The Shul has served the community for decades and been kept alive by the faithful persistence of members who have went out of their way to keep the weekly minyans going.  The Chaim Albert Synagogue is a separate stand alone building tand is named after the father of the shul's founder and past hospital president, Isaac Albert.  The Chaim Albert Synagogue built in 1950, was meant to replace the original interior Jewish shul that was built inside the hospital in 1928.  The design and purpose of the 1928 Kingsbrook Shul as well as the 1950 Chaim Albert Synagogue was to be a "place of prayer and meditation".  NYS law follows the Cy Pres doctrine which requires that the existing charitable uses (Jewish prayer and meditation and a hospital chapel open to all) of the donor/founder must be continued or else the asset (synagogue) must be given to an entity (congregation) that continues the same charitable uses and purposes (Jewish prayer and meditation, and a hospital chapel open to all).