Brooklyn Congregation Fights to Save Historic Synagogue Amid Housing Dispute

Kingsbrook Shul congregation says hospital management refuses to allow them back inside after pandemic closure.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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A Jewish congregation in Brooklyn is fighting to save their historic house of worship, the Kingsbrook Shul, which sits on the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center campus now owned by One Brooklyn Health. The congregation was founded 100 years ago alongside the hospital, but after services were paused during the pandemic, they say the hospital management has refused to allow them back inside. The dispute stems from a plan to build affordable housing on part of the campus, and the congregation has filed a lawsuit against One Brooklyn Health.

Why it matters

The Kingsbrook Shul has served as a place of worship and community center for the local Jewish population for a century. Its potential closure would displace the congregation and deprive the community of an important cultural and religious institution, raising concerns about the preservation of historic places of worship and the impact of development on marginalized communities.

The details

The once-vibrant Kingsbrook Shul is now in disrepair, with tarps covering the building and water damage visible. The congregation was founded 100 years ago, along with the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, to provide a welcoming place for Jewish community members who felt mistreated at other hospitals. Services were paused during the pandemic, but the congregation says hospital management has refused to allow them back inside, citing plans to build affordable housing on the campus. The congregation has filed a lawsuit against One Brooklyn Health, the current owner of the medical center.

  • The Kingsbrook Shul congregation was founded 100 years ago, in the early 1920s.
  • Services at the synagogue were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • In June 2024, the congregation says hospital management admitted they do not want to reopen the synagogue.
  • The congregation filed a lawsuit against One Brooklyn Health last year.
  • On the recent 100th anniversary of the congregation's founding, they gathered outside in the cold to pray.

The players

Kingsbrook Shul

A historic Jewish synagogue in Brooklyn that was founded 100 years ago, along with the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, to serve the local Jewish community.

One Brooklyn Health

The current owner and operator of the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center campus, where the Kingsbrook Shul synagogue is located.

Rabbi Zalman Goldstein

The rabbi of the Kingsbrook Shul congregation, who has been unable to attend the synagogue for nearly six years since it was closed.

Mendy Rendler

A longtime congregant of the Kingsbrook Shul, who described the scene as a sad reminder that the congregation is displaced and not allowed to make repairs.

Gov. Kathy Hochul

The governor of New York who has announced she is spearheading efforts to save the Kingsbrook Shul synagogue.

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What they’re saying

“This dragged on and on 'til finally in June 2024, they admitted, which we had begun to suspect, that they don't want to open up the synagogue again.”

— Rabbi Zalman Goldstein, Rabbi (CBS News)

“Once they saw that the synagogue was closed and we're not in there, they said, 'hey, wait a second, why don't we also take the synagogue?'”

— Rabbi Zalman Goldstein, Rabbi (CBS News)

“The lights are off right now. And God willing, very soon, the lights will be back on.”

— Rabbi Zalman Goldstein, Rabbi (CBS News)

“We don't have like a big building like this that can house all the families that used to come together over here as a community center.”

— Mendy Rendler, Congregant (CBS News)

“We're very appreciative of the governor's office and their support to open the synagogue. Saving it is great. But a synagogue that's not open is not in use.”

— Rabbi Zalman Goldstein, Rabbi (CBS News)

What’s next

The judge in the lawsuit filed by the Kingsbrook Shul congregation against One Brooklyn Health will decide on the future of the synagogue.

The takeaway

The battle to save the Kingsbrook Shul highlights the challenges faced by historic places of worship in the face of development pressures, and the importance of preserving cultural and religious institutions that serve marginalized communities. The congregation's fight to regain access to their synagogue raises broader questions about the role of community input in urban planning decisions.