UPDATES BELOW: TLS has been inundated with inquires as to the status of private schools tomorrow.
The public schools, as earlier reported, are still slated to remain open – with a half hour delay.
With regards to the private schools, TLS is in constant contact with Rosh Mosdos and Askonim, and as of this evening, there are no plans to shut any schools unless the Governor instructs to do so.
A Psak from a Rav to the same has been floating around social media, however, TLS was unable to confirm the authenticity of it and is therefore not publishing the Psak.
Updates will continue to be published on our various forums – Status, Instagram and Twitter.
UPDATE 10:10 PM: Yeshivas across Lakewood are being told to prepare for being shut down Monday.
Agudah sent out the following message:
“L’chvod Roshei Mosdos,
It is with a heavy heart that we inform you we have received word from the Governor’s office that Governor Murphy will announce tomorrow the closure of all schools in New Jersey – both public & private. The closure pertains to elementary & high schools alike and will go into effect shortly after the announcement. We therefore strongly encourage every school to make appropriate preparations for the coming days.
With regard to high school mesivtas, there was much consultation today between myself, Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein and the Roshei HaYeshiva shlit”a of Beth Medrash Govoha. The Roshei Yeshiva have informed us that should a Mesivta choose to utilize yungerleit enrolled in BMG to assist in delivering shiurim and keep up the learning, they will be allowed to assist and their Kollel stipend, shemiras Hasedorim and enrollment status will not be affected as long as they are assisting during the hours they would be otherwise be in Yeshiva.
May klal Yisroel be zoche to yeshuos and refuos.
Please feel free to reach out should you have any questions or concerns.”
UPDATES BELOW: TLS has been inundated with inquires as to the status of private schools tomorrow.
is this all schools?
It wont help to close schools unless you enforce a city-wide quarantine. Otherwise, kids will still play with each other, parents will still go to grocery stores & the virus will continue to spread.
I believe we should focus our energies on anchoring seniors at home with meals delivered to them so that schools can remain open and parents can work. Otherwise we risk having thousands of foreclosures by years end (and just as many people sick from corona just at a bit of a slower pace…)
Sadly the governor is announcing tomorrow that all schools public & private must close. Hashem yerachem al amo veal kol haolam
Sounds like some people just don’t want to be stuck home with the kids….
WahParenting, we all love our kids but if parents can’t work than we are going to have a serious parnassa problem in town
I agree i want my kids home I hope my landlords kids are going to realize their tenants are also home. Yay no school !
Does this mean there is school tomorrow? Shut down starts Tuesday?
yup.
bmg?
I am very proud of my daughters school they just cancelled school.
Unless there is a mandatory quarantine for everyone, this isn’t going to help. I’m not staying indoors until Pesach and neither is anyone else. And I most definitely won’t want to be paying tuition while my kids are home and I am not able to work. Anyone know what the Halacha is?
As far as I understand, tuition is a year-long commitment. It doesn’t go by the day. Snow days don’t give parents a price cut, and neither should this.
As a playgroup Morah, I sure hope parents will not cause problems like this! It would be cheaper for me to not take tuition from my students and not pay my own children’s tuition, but I definitely plan on having the parents pay me, and myself paying my schools and Yeshivas.
Does anyone know if BMG Is
Included in this?
Couldn’t agree more with “by me “. Closing schools without enforcing a city wide quarantine is a pointless charade. At least in school, children will stay largely in the same circles. Otherwise they will be up and about, shopping and mingling more than ever.
What about small playgroups? Can they remain open?
Let’s all hope and pray that the governor reconsiders his decision.
First of the aguda is not the ultimate decision in my child’s school as far as I know.
Secondly and more importantly as long as any establishment is open (and they should be) such as super markets and restaurants. All boys yeshiva should remain open!! Yes the one thing that through out the annals of time the one thing that always protected us was the limud hatorah and the תנקת של בית הספר dare we close the one last safeguard?
“Me” is terribly mistaken.
There is a tremendous difference between children going to Yeshiva with 400-1,200 other children and rubbing hands on the same banisters, walls and bathroom fixtures, where a single infected child can pass the virus to literally hundreds of others, and a group of even 10-20 children playing basketball outside their house, where the exposure is much more limited.
The gedolim in eretz yisroel Rav Chaim kanievsky shlita and Rav asher deutsch shlita both paskend that girls schools should close but not chadarim! Is America different???
The difference in America is that in Galus we have to listen to the government and abide by their laws even if we think differently.
What about daycare centers?
I’m confused. Lately there’s been a lot of discussion about avirus. And while it’s good to contemplate our avirus, would it not be better to focus on our mitzvos?
A friend of mine suggested a little less hand-wringing over the virus, and more washing of the hands. I said, “Isn’t that the same thing?” He said, “Oh, you’re right. My bad.”
I was told that there are people in isolation from the Corona virus but that these are ISOLATED cases. Sounds reduntant to me, I’m confused.
parents should all realize that this is a very serious health situation and every one of us is affected by this virus you really do not know who is a carrier and who is not cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze and go with the guide lines so we can all be well and get on with our normal lives.
i am so shocked by the comments here and in general, the attitude in lakewood. there is a megeifa out there with the malach hamaves in the streets. b’h it didnt hit us here but do people not realize the potential severity r”l? As far as i can see Lakewood continues to go about its business as usual. in italy people are dying, they have run out of respirators, the hospitals are overwhelmed and now its come to our shores and is spreading next door to us. We have enough information from other countries to see how this is will continue to spread al pi derech hateva r’l. and you are worrying about work, and saying that you have every intention of going out and about your business unless the gov’t quarantines you?don’t you see on your own what you need to do? Passaic is in lockdown, Teaneck is in lockdown… and in Lakewood you can’t think past the annoyance of the kids being home?!
You are 100% correct. The attitude is mind boggling.
My limud zechus is that its mostly a lack of accurate information (the message from the govt – from the top and down- has been very muddled) and a lack of education (a virus? so its like a stomach virus, big deal.)
The rate of new infection in the US is following the exact trajectory as Italy and other countries. We are a few weeks behind al pi derech hatevah. We can flatten the curve, like other countries have successfully done, and slow the rate of infection to a level that the health care system can manage but only with social distancing and careful hygiene. Shopping in stores like its business as usual will directly contribute to new infections. Stay home. There is nothing more important than your health and the health of you parents and grandparents. I would even go out on a limb and say that your kids not all have matching outfits for pesach is less important than the lives of your loved ones.
I didn’t hear any updates am I supposed to be waking up my kids? I am nervous for them they are little. My job is still open I work in a school I am nervous for myself. Let’s just cancel school then I will feel better.
Is there school today?
Although we can’t control the closing of schools, in this critical time we need to make sure that there is contant zchus hatorah, not chas v’shalom a decrease in learning which would be a byproduct of school closures.
With the technology we have at our disposal, perhaps we can arrange around the clock multiple learning commitments from men and boys (tinokos shel beis rabban) to keep up our protection. Machsom L’fi style.
Perhaps each shul should iniate for their members, or whatsapp groups should form, or chedarim/mesivtos/yeshivos should arrange for their boys.
Private and public schools will remain open Monday until the governors order, if he says to shut down effective immediately, early dismissal will take place, other wise school will run as regular and shutdown Monday night. Hatzlocha.
@justme im not sure i agree that playgroup teachers have to be paid. Schools will be doing classes from home and therefore you are still receiving a service you paid for. I personally will have to hire someone on my own to watch my kids so i can work. And honestly I can’t pay both. Also, in the average small playgroup its far below 50 kids and therefore if you want to be paid then stay open. I will be fine sending.
This is really backwards. America should do what England did. Quarantine everyone over 70 & those with resparotory illness and let everyone else live their lives. Young people are not at risk. Period.
You are 100% correct. The attitude is mind boggling.
My limud zechus is that its mostly a lack of accurate information (the message from the govt – from the top and down- has been very muddled) and a lack of education (a virus? so its like a stomach virus, big deal.)
The rate of new infection in the US is following the exact trajectory as Italy and other countries. We are a few weeks behind al pi derech hatevah. We can flatten the curve, like other countries have successfully done, and slow the rate of infection to a level that the health care system can manage but only with social distancing and careful hygiene. Shopping in stores like its business as usual will directly contribute to new infections. Stay home. There is nothing more important than your health and the health of you parents and grandparents. I would even go out on a limb and say that your kids not all have matching outfits for pesach is less important than the lives of your loved ones.
I agree with shocked resident…the attitude from my neighbors and coworkers is frightening. downplaying the situation in the radio last night didn’t help either. It IS in Lakewood, and only a matter of time before it explodes. We don’t want to become the next Passaic or Teaneck, so it’s time to get your head out of the sand and take responsibility for us as a klal and not your own daled Amos.
1.To the playgroup morah – you are planning to pay tuition because you are planning on getting paid. For those of us that don’t work in school – how are we supposed to pay? if we don’t work – we dont get paid.
2.the virus is already spread in lakewood – I know of 2 people who forsure have it; they are just not telling anyone. And they have been around and in close contact with people ie: shul etc.. before they realized they may have it. Hashem Yeracheim!!! Raboisai, take your head out of the sand!!!!
What about daycare
the problem here is many people feel Hahem Yisborach owes them a great big favor for being frum. If we feel bad that yeshivas are closing shouldnt we ask why? maybe we block to many from being accepted, maybe we have become too exclusive.
Remember how widely the measles spread in Lakewood. To borrow a phrase, Covid-19 is the measles on steroids!!!!! Closing the schools is the right decision.
Why not keep the schools open? As was stated by a renowned doctor here on TLS, the Coronavirus is only affecting older people and not children. Do you not believe the good doctor?
Children can be carriers of the virus and give it to their elderly grandparents and parents. Or children can pass it on to other children and pass it on to their elderly family members. Wake up! The Governor said this is “serious” and we all have to help control it. If we don’t there will not be enough room in hospitals to treat all the sick people. One woman died and she was in her 50s. So don’t say it only affects the elderly. School MUST be closed as per the Governor’s order. Including private schools.
Will daycare be open