A historic Brooklyn synagogue could be torn down to build new affordable housing – Gothamist

Report on the Preservation Challenge of a Historic Synagogue Amid Affordable Housing Development in East Flatbush

Introduction

A nearly century-old Jewish congregation located in East Flatbush faces the potential loss of its historic synagogue due to redevelopment plans by its landlords. One Brooklyn Health, a nonprofit organization owning Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, intends to demolish the synagogue to construct affordable housing and outpatient services on the hospital campus.

Background and Historical Significance

1. Establishment of Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center
   • Founded in 1928 to provide a safe healthcare environment for Jewish patients and physicians amid reports of antisemitism.
   • Incorporated Jewish practices including a kosher kitchen and a synagogue on its campus.
2. Synagogue History
   • The original synagogue was replaced in 1950 by Congregation Chaim Albert after demolition for hospital expansion.
   • For decades, the synagogue served as a central community space hosting Sabbath services, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish festivals.
   • Currently, the synagogue has been closed since 2020, with congregants displaced and forced to pray elsewhere.

Legal Dispute and Community Impact

• The congregation filed a lawsuit alleging breach of a long-standing agreement allowing them to use the synagogue space.
• One Brooklyn Health argues the synagogue lacks independent structural integrity and must be demolished as part of a broader redevelopment plan.
• The synagogue’s legal representatives emphasize the congregation’s deep historical and cultural connection to the space.
• Government officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, have expressed support for preserving the synagogue.

Redevelopment Plans and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Alignment

One Brooklyn Health’s redevelopment plan aims to address economic and health disparities in Central Brooklyn by transforming the hospital campus into a community development featuring affordable housing and outpatient treatment services.

1. Affordable Housing Development
   • Plans include constructing affordable housing units to meet the urgent need for accessible living spaces in New York City.
   • This initiative aligns with SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, promoting inclusive, safe, and affordable housing.
2. Health Services Expansion
   • Outpatient services aim to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities, supporting SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.
3. Financial and Social Considerations
   • The redevelopment is supported by state funding, tax-exempt bonds, and low-income housing tax credits.
   • One Brooklyn Health faces financial challenges, necessitating efficient use of assets to ensure sustainability, reflecting SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.

Challenges in Balancing Preservation and Development

• The case exemplifies the tension between preserving cherished cultural and religious community spaces and addressing the critical shortage of affordable housing in urban areas.
• It highlights the importance of integrating cultural heritage preservation within urban development frameworks to achieve SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions by ensuring inclusive decision-making and respect for minority rights.
• Community displacement concerns underscore the need for sustainable urban planning that respects social cohesion and cultural identity.

Conclusion

The ongoing legal and community debate surrounding the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center synagogue underscores the complex interplay between heritage preservation and sustainable urban development. The redevelopment plan’s focus on affordable housing and healthcare services aligns with multiple Sustainable Development Goals, aiming to improve living conditions and health equity in Central Brooklyn. However, preserving the historic synagogue remains a critical concern for the local Jewish community, emphasizing the need for solutions that balance development with cultural and social sustainability.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The article discusses the redevelopment of a hospital campus into affordable housing, balancing community space preservation with housing needs in New York City.
   • Preservation of cultural and religious community spaces is a key theme.
2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The hospital campus redevelopment includes outpatient services aimed at addressing health disparities in Central Brooklyn.
   • One Brooklyn Health operates hospitals serving the local community.
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The affordable housing project aims to address economic disparities in Central Brooklyn.
   • Efforts to provide affordable housing relate to reducing inequalities in access to housing.
4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • The legal dispute over the synagogue’s preservation involves justice and institutional decision-making.
   • Community rights and legal agreements are central to the conflict.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • Target 11.1: Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services.
   • Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including access to quality essential health-care services.
   • Target 3.4: Reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment.
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
   • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome.
4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
   • Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators related to SDG 11
   • Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing (implied by the need for affordable housing development).
   • Number of cultural heritage sites preserved or lost (implied by the synagogue preservation efforts).
2. Indicators related to SDG 3
   • Coverage of essential health services (implied by outpatient services planned in redevelopment).
   • Health facility density and access (implied by hospital operations and redevelopment).
3. Indicators related to SDG 10
   • Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age (implied by economic disparities in Central Brooklyn).
   • Access to affordable housing units (implied by affordable housing development).
4. Indicators related to SDG 16
   • Number of legal cases resolved related to community rights and property disputes (implied by ongoing litigation).
   • Proportion of population who feel their voices are heard in decision-making processes (implied by community involvement and legal challenges).

4. Table: SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: gothamist.com