Brooklyn Jewish Organizations Thank Elected Officials and Community Leaders for Opposing the Maimonides Hospital Takeover

A group of leading Jewish community organizations and local Hatzolah chapters expressed their deep gratitude to elected officials, community leaders and legal advocates for their unified opposition to the proposed takeover of Maimonides Medical Center by New York City’s public hospital system.

In a joint letter representing tens of thousands of community members, the groups thanked State Sen. Sam Sutton, Assemblymembers Simcha Eichenstein and Kalman Yeger, and Council Member Simcha Felder, along with attorneys and advocates, for their leadership on the matter. 

“Your unified advocacy has provided clarity and confidence to the many families who rely on Maimonides every day,” the letter states. “Healthcare cannot be reduced to balance sheets — there is, quite simply, no price tag on a heartbeat.”

The statement points to the recent decision by the New York State Attorney General’s office to reject a request to fast-track approval of the merger with New York City Health and Hospitals.  The process for nonprofit property transfers requires a court filing in Brooklyn, public notice and a hearing before a judge. The AG’s office’s charities bureau told Maimonides it would need to seek judicial sign-off, thus delaying a scheduled April 1 transfer. 

The move underscored the need for full transparency and community input.

“Any proposal must be judged by one question alone: Will it preserve or improve care?” the group said. 

Signatories include Flatbush Hatzolah, Boro Park Hatzolah, Canarsie/Mill Basin Hatzolah, the Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition and the Boro Park Jewish Community Council, alongside a broad group of community leaders and askonim.

The coalition said it looks forward to continuing to work with policymakers and stakeholders “to ensure that any path forward preserves the excellence, responsiveness, and community-centered mission of Maimonides Medical Center.”