Dear Readers,
I know that this letter, which doesn’t complain or criticize, will get overlooked by many and that’s okay.
I just wanted to share this thought.
As we stand in the Nine Days, I invite you to join me in shifting our focus, even if it’s only temporarily.
Instead of dwelling on Lakewood’s challenges and shortcomings, let’s take a step back and appreciate the beauty and goodness that surrounds us.
Yes, our community faces growing pains, but many of these issues stem from a desirable problem – people want to move to the area! They’re drawn to our unique blend of community, Chesed, opportunities, and the special network we have. Let’s recognize the bigger picture and appreciate what makes Lakewood special.
During these Nine Days, let’s replace bickering and fighting with kindness and understanding. Let’s offer a supportive word, a listening ear, and a helping hand. Let’s seek out the good in one another and acknowledge the positive contributions we all make.
May our appreciation for each other and our community be a Zchus to witness the Ge’ulah, the ultimate good.
Thank you for taking the time to read my words. I wish you a meaningful and uplifting Nine Days.
Sincerely,
Just a regular mother.
TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to [email protected]
well said!
Yes ! I couldn’t agree more. There is BH so much good in Lakewood that we can and should focus on. Instead of looking at all the negative let’s shift our views and look for all the goodness among us. May we be zoche to the geula bekarov!
Thank you
wow!! this letter is a breath of fresh air!
may we see the coming of mashiach speedily in our days.
Amen
Beautiful!!!
I would just add the tremendous amount of Torah in the town which began with the Yeshiva of the great Rosh HaYeshiva Moreinu Harav Ahron Kotler Zt”l who founded BMG which is a beacon of light in Lakewood and around the world!
Together, with the wonderful mosdos, Yeshivos, Kollelim and Shiurim for balei batim all over Lakewood and the surrounding towns! Ashreinu!
Thank you again for your beautiful letter! May we all merit to greet Moshiach very soon!
Ashrecha for bringing this up!! The letter was beautiful just missing this aspect!!
Ashrei Mi Sheamolo BaTorah!
Beacon of Torah light is in Eretz Yisrael.
What’s the idea of this empty letter. What does the author mean by growing pains. Who say’s Lakewood is still growing. With Manhattan rents and 7 digit home prices who can move here anymore? A few millionaires? Yes Lakewood is growing, started to grow old and not in size. Will the author build us a few thousand large affordable homes for our children and others whom want to move here! Otherwise we don’t need his compliments.
lol
Are you blind??
People are moving in droves
Not are! Were!
Mutty, if it’s “empty” to you it doesn’t mean that it’s empty to everyone… Many people appreciate the letter, but if you don’t agree you don’t have to, just let everyone else benefit…
Thank you! 😊
Raising rent as high as you could is that called helping your friend?? Not following traffic laws talking on your kosher phone while driving is not kosher not sure what you’re trying to say
Oiy. You read between the lines. Missed the part that said it’s the 9 days I think
@Mutty
Read the letter!
The author is talking directly to you – stop complaining and start looking at the great stuff this town has to offer!
Lakewood is not home. Eretz Yisrael is home. We should all be wanting to go home now and stop getting so comfortable is galus.
Thank you. You took the words out of my typing fingers.
Agreed thank you for saying that Lakewood is not your home !!I really appreciate you saying that 100%lakewood was my home but it got invaded.. i live here all my life my hometown,and has to move away ,sad maybe one day when god tell me I can come back to a normal place!!
The wonderful thing about living not just in Lakewood but anywhere in the USA is you are free to move to where ever you want !
so refreshing to hear
Lakewood is a beautiful community but has tragically switched over from the days of Harav Aharon Kotler ZTL making it a community to devote your life to Torah to now sadly it switched over to a community filled with gashmius and running after the Jones etc …..
Today if a person wants to devote their life to Torah sadly Lakewood is not the place to go. Let them move to Detroit or Denver or Boston and raise a frum Torah family and they still have frum schools and restaurants in these communities but they live a life of Torah and ruchnius with simplicity. Instead of Lakewood today sadly filled with gashmius and running after every desire and pleasure even when we know we can’t afford it.
May Lakewood community return to a community filled with people who want to seriously devote their life to Torah and ruchnius and let the families who want to live a life of gashmius live in Florida or California etc… and enjoy all the extras that they want to run after.
The letter writer didn’t say that there was no room for improvement. She just wrote that there is so much positive to focus on as well.
Hatzlacha!
No no! Please. I lived in one of the communities that brought in Lakewood kollel yungeleit. Please only send those who want to live our simple life. Many of those who come are bringing the Lakewood materialism with them. We only want the ruchnius.
Your take is what most people actually know and believe. But unfortunately people are drawn to the negative. Negativity is what gets likes, clicks and attention.
Love the letter there is a ton of upside to this town especially the chessed in the town no disputing that .
but some fixable issues should be addressed !
and ambulance chasers should be stopped !!!
especially in the 9 days when we should fix bein adam lechavaro issues !!!!!!!
My family & I appreciate every Yid in Lakewood EXCEPT for my neighbor Chatzkel. He’s a real piece of work.
Seeing Chatzkel seemingly always struggling financially I suggested a possible job for him. The next morning there was a sign facing my house, “In case you can’t add, W-O-R-K is a 4 letter word.”
So I put up a sign, “If you were such a big Talmid Chochem people would be lining up to support you.”
So Chatzkel erected a sign, “I hired the wrong marketing firm to get my name out there. You just wait. My Gadlus is about to go viral.”
So I put up a sign, “Claiming to be a Nazir as an excuse to not cut your lawn does not make you a Gadol!”
Chatzkel responded with his own sign, “At least I wasn’t spotted on vacation in Idaho wearing a blue shirt!”
So I installed a sign, “I’m having issues with 1 of my kids & Yiddishkeit so I wore a blue shirt for 1 hour to show them I’m “Cool” & “With it”
Chatzkel’s sign said, “It’s probably from the unfiltered Internet you have in your home. The whole neighborhood knows your WiFi is “GroiseTsadik”
Password: HolierThanThou613
I replied with a sign, “Let me know when you finish learning a Parsha with “almost half” the Rashis. I’ll host a Siyum for you.”
His sign, “I will!!!”
My sign, “Good!!!”
The next day we both received summonses fining us $500 PER SIGN!
This is what we deal with from having Chatzkel as a neighbor but at least I take comfort knowing I’m receiving my punishment in this world instead of the next.
I didnt realize how much i was bothering you. I guess ill have to move.
Sheesh! A well meaning, feel good letter and commentators won’t leave well enough alone. Luz Leben! Wow.
.
(fyi, I don’t live in lakewood)
Thank you for this letter. Just want to mention that we live in a simple neighborhood in Lakewood, with a mix of learning and working people. Most people live very, very simply – simple houses, cars, clothing etc. The high level of gashmius in lakewood is definitely a problem for everyone but there are many many people who also choose to live simply and are very happy!! They are of course much less noticeable but they are there if you want to find them!