Young Israel Of Bedford Bay Senior Center Is Closing Its Doors

The Young Israel Of Beford Bay Senior Center is ceasing operations at the end of the month, according to a report by News 12 Brooklyn.

The center, located at 2114 Brown Street, received a letter from the New York City Department of Aging stating that its contract will be terminated at the end of the month.

According to News 12, officials working for the senior center believe that a lack of funding is forcing the Department of Aging to close the doors of Young Israel’s senior program.

“If this place is going to be close, I’m going to be lost,” Jean Kesten told Brooklyn 12 News. “You feel like a family, you’re with people.”

About 70 seniors like Jean meet at the center every day to greet friends, read together and participate in activities like knitting.

While there are other centers in the neighborhood, the closure of Young Israel would force seniors to take multiple bus trips, a trying task for those comfortable with the convenience and ease that Young Israel provides.

Marlo Sommer, an executive secretary for Young Israel, echoed the difficulty of the impact the closing will have on the local seniors, “When someone is 80 or older, they don’t have, lets say the physicality or the mentality to go to another center and start from scratch.”