Letter: Face it, Lakewood has changed

As a steady reader of the Scoop, I find it appalling how people still sit here complaining about traffic, building and everything else on every topic that comes up.

Yes, this is also sort of complaining, but to make a point.

I’m also a Lakewooder (perhaps I may even be called an ‘Alte Lakewooder’), but I don’t sit and complain about all the people moving to Lakewood. Obviously there’s a reason people keep moving to Lakewood, and that’s because despite all the issues us locals have, it’s still a beautiful place to live and to bring up a Yiddishe family.

Do I like the fact that I have to sit in traffic on my way to work because of the congestion? No. Do we have some problems? Yes. But I don’t find that a reason to complain all day.

And to those who keep complaining about all the out-of-towners moving here, let me ask you this: Are others who find Lakewood beautiful not entitled to the same conveniences and amenities our town has to offer? Are their children not entitled to the same great education we received?

Face it, Lakewood has changed forever, and we can either embrace it, complain, or move out. I chose to embrace it, and be thankful we have Yiddish families thriving and growing in a town like Lakewood.

Thank you,

An ‘Alte Lakewooder’.

(TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to letters@thelakewoodscoop.com)

This content, and any other content on TLS, may not be republished or reproduced without prior permission from TLS. Copying or reproducing our content is both against the law and against Halacha. To inquire about using our content, including videos or photos, email us at general@thelakewoodscoop.com.

Stay up to date with our news alerts by following us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

**Click here to join over 20,000 receiving our Whatsapp Status updates!**

**Click here to join the official TLS WhatsApp Community!**

Got a news tip? Email us at newstips@thelakewoodscoop.com, Text 415-857-2667, or WhatsApp 609-661-8668.

44 COMMENTS

  1. Theres plenty of beautiful communities people can move to that can be built up. The excesses increase in the population isnt just traffic. Driving conditions are now dangerous here. Schools dont have the capacity to hold so many kids. There is not enough wedding halls and causes people to wait over four to five months for their wedding. And this is just a few off the top of my head. Bh were not forced to live in this town by the goverment and in the long run, if we can accept the fact that lakewood has reach capacity. New and beautiful communities and Yeshivos can be built across this free country.

  2. I also am an Alte Lakewooder and I did like it so much much when it was a very small community with no stores to shop in (much less gashmius) and everyone knew everybody and our lives were simple and you could live on a shoe string budget. But, I still like most of Lakewood, except for certain things (not only the traffic), like how our taxes have gone sky high, and that people are so much more gashmiusdik and less tsniusdik than they were 40 years ago or even 15 years ago. That’s what bothers me the most.

  3. Imagine you have 1 pie of pizza. You can cut it in 8 slices and 8 people get one slice. Filling enough. You can cut it in 16 and 16 people get some. Or, you can cut it into one hundred pieces and everyone gets a taste! Now, no one is really full because a taste is not a meal! Yes, we are all getting a taste of Lakewood but no longer maintaining the quality of life that made Lakewood attractive in the first place.

      • I’m sure the letter write is actually a developer or someone invested in them. My cousin a good guy, was always against the irresponsible and dangerous development and then one day he invested in a development, and his attitude changed overnight. Its said how people can sell their beliefs and menchlichkeit for a buck, its really sad.

  4. We do embrace those who comes to Lakewood. However, important community mosdos are required to accommodate the influx of families in order to make their relocation to Lakewood successful.Most importantly – schools! There are not enough high schools for the present, natural growth. When outsiders come, they too would like to send their children to the excellent schools in town. But more schools have to be physically built and administration and faculties hired. This all costs money. If the developers would responsibly set aside a percentage of the revenue from each new home and deposit it into a school, shul etc fund, we won’t have b’chiya ldoros!

  5. It’s funny that the people that agree with you such as myself are all here from before Lakewood became the metropolis that it is today! We should be the ones complaining instead of all those that came later but we are not! We accept Lakewood for the beautiful city that it is!

  6. The real Alter Lakewooders who sacrificed to live here without all the convenience. Want to keep it a Torah town. That is why they don’t like people moving here from ny.

    • I’m not sure what it says in YOUR Torah, but mine says ve’ahavta le’reiecha kamocha. I suppose that also applies to people from NY.

  7. Positive attitude always helps.

    Sometimes the complaints arent just kvetches though. They are a means to produce a result. And thanks to the scoop we have seen some results from the opinions and requests shared here. Thank you TLS for allowing us to share our opinions.

  8. The problem is did you ever hear of the word No? You sound totally pathetic it’s not fair why can’t I also live in Lakewood, why can’t I also have that bike, that car, that Piece of cake. BECAUSE THERE IS A LIMITED AMOUNT OF SPACE!! Some people live in Lakewood and some people live elsewhere.. Seriously what do you tell your children when they want something? And btw you can live right outside of Lakewood there’s no reason to squash into Lakewood It’s not like our taxes are so great..

  9. I also think we should get priority when it comes to school acceptance. Growing up here, Lakewood was not so closed minded and schools were not exclusive. That’s what bothers me about what it’s become.

  10. With all your respect, we the nyrs came for a better ruchnies life, yes there is congestion so, why can’t you just be happy that another Yiddish family is enjoying the life you have, we’re you born in Lakewood no, you also came from somewhere for the same reason, whats with achdus one for another, veahavta leracha kumocha, like you want to be here they want it as well just enjoy your day your not going to change it anyway

  11. Let’s FACE IT!
    Unfortunately we have a lot of SELFISHN PEOPLE!!!
    Most of them are also relatively new comers, they also were the cause to the traffic, education/school issues and other issues (we won’t mention). Yet these selfish hypocrites are the loudest complainers.
    Go fix yourself with a Mussar Sefer while you sit in traffic

  12. Face it. Overcrowding results in increased stress. You want people to react to overcrowding the same as when there is plenty of room? Residents are being asked to tolerate a lot for the builders. Torah life does not have to be found only in Lakewood. No need to squeeze as many people in as possibly can fit, and then some.

  13. There is still so much complaining and tza’ar ayin (negative view of others) that we need to overcome. Clearly Hashem desired for Lakewood to grow to such an extent that we have the ‘problems that come with the blessing’ of lack of sufficient schools, roadway infrastructure and tax increases. Let’s remember that what goes on between your two ears is the key to a blessed and content life, and a miserable ‘kvetchy’ life. I fully agree with the letter-writer: you can see it as half full or half empty. Remember, every community has its plusses and minuses – you just need to embrace your ‘package’ and have an ayin tovah (positive view of others) – look upon others with kindness instead of with irritation that they are taking up ‘your’ space. It will make all the difference in your peace-of-mind.

  14. I have also been in Lakewood for a long time. I reluctantly accept the fact that Lakewood has to grow. B”H the frum world is growing all over. I say “reluctantly” simply because I loved the way Lakewood used to be beruchnius and begashmius. However I know things have to change. THe problem is that there is a thing called “planning.” All growth has to be implemented with planning done beforehand. This has not happened in Lakewood because the developers have too much influence and get what they want. Also, the developers have bypassed existed zoning and other laws in order to make maximum profit. This does not have to be happening and that what I am very upset about. In addition I would like to ask the previous posters: Most of us are descended from immigrants. However, that does not stop most of us to be politically conservative and anti unchecked immigration. That is because now the USA does not need immigrants as it once did and many times, unchecked immigration brings us many problems. Same thing in Lakewood. Just because we enjoyed what Lakewood offered in the past doesn’t mean that everyone else can come here now and create problems for the town by unplanned growth.

  15. why don’t we take a vote and we will see 9 out of 10 people (including many rabonim I spoke to) are very against the irresponsible development and importing of out of state yidden to our community, do to the lack of space. We don’t have to sit here and speculate, just take a vote in your shul and you’ll see what people want!!

    • While you are at it, you may as well add the non-Jewish community to the list of people that don’t want newcomers. And .by the way, they don’t want YOU here either. A little achdus wouldn’t be so bad.

  16. this is a ridiculous letter. if everyone moves to lakewood it becomes a city and not a town anymore which changes everything about it!!
    i live on a very nice block and they are putting up a school on the corner now. so of course it is beautiful that they are building schools etc but what happens to my block now?? we will have loads of traffic and it will seriously affect the quality of life.
    what used to be a quiet town has turned into a bustling city
    i would move out in a heartbeat if i could find a job and schools similar to what i have now.
    when everyone moves in it becomes boro park and not lakewood anymore. 🙁

  17. Contrary to popular belief, most of the growth of Lakewood was not outsiders moving in, but kollel yingeleit who made Lakewood their home even after leaving BMG. This rhetoric of it’s the “boro parkers” is just a lie that is being spread. Yes there are outsiders coming, but it’s not the majority of the growth. Even many of the “boro parkers” that moved recently have ties to this community in that they or their family has a connection to BMG. The “chasidim” are not the problem in this community. The gashmiyos doesn’t just cater to the outsiders.

    When I moved to Lakewood 35 years ago, the real estate agent said something that is still true today, “if you have a parnassa, people will hate you”. The gashmiyos is catering to the many former yeshivaleit who have grown economically post kollel.

    If the “chasidim” were the problem, you would see more chasidishe clothing stores, more “sfard” shtieblach, etc. Not seeing them is proof that it not where the growth is. I see stores like Borsalino, Marcy Clothing, Hat Box, etc, they are all expanding. The one GB Clothing is tiny.

    Pizza stores close at 7:30. If they were catering to the “chasidim” why aren’t they open until midnight? The stores that are open late primarily cater to the bucherim and yingeleit from BMG.

    The tiny belz community on the other side of town and Oak and Vine where no one lives yet are not what is creating traffic in this town.

    It’s time to stop spreading the lies.

    • Maybe that’s true, but if there’s congestion and room to build new developments than it should be focused for local expansion as opposed to marketing it exclusively to people in New York, which has been happening for at least the past year if not longer.

      Also, the main flaw with the original point is that nobody is saying to become Sedom and keep people out of Lakewood, but the building has to be done responsibly. That means both planning infrastructure before building, as well as actually holding up the various zoning laws. People are anyways starting to expand beyond Lakewood to Howell, Jackson and Toms River – imagine how different Lakewood could have been if the duplex and townhouse building had been minimized and the outward expansion had been forced to happen sooner?

  18. agree with simple
    all this growth has ruined the quality of life for people who came here seeking a certain type of lifestyle.
    So it is reasonable that we are upset. Not only have we had to put up with all these changes that we did not want, but to add insult to injury, my taxes have DOUBLED since last year! so I am also paying a ridiculous amount of money and getting a worse situation.
    why should I NOT be upset? This is a huge country, no reason we all have to be on top of each other. for heaven’s sake, SPREAD OUT!

  19. @Askan4trouble:i have a suggestion for you!
    When your children get married tell them there’s no room in lakewood,please go live elsewhere.
    You will start a trend tgat will help the tzibbur!

  20. I’ve lived here since 2010.
    Lakewood is rapidly becoming a nightmare for Everyone.
    110,000 people inhabiting 25 square miles!
    Our great Police Dept has appx 300 officers.
    Given vacations, sick days, court appearances, Station House duty, Detectives, and Supervisors, well, do the math.
    They could probably put 24 cops on patrol for each of the 3 Shifts!

  21. The letter writer is not opposed to constructive criticism when it’s offered in a pleasent manner. The bitterness that is often displayed and the cynicism is over the top. Emotional regulation is a crucial skill to thrive as a spouse , parent and a positive contributor to our community. Go ahead and read the previous posts agsin and ask yourself if the tone is appropriate or necessary. Of perhaps we can accomplish more by calmly and eloquently stating our position on the issue at hand.

  22. Around 1987, R Nosson helped to close down the first pizza shop. Now there are many. One can get sushi everywhere. Has the town changed, absolutely. The question is how, with the community growing, and plenty of wonderful people moving to town, do we find a balance. We need to protect and resoect our Torah institutions, while accepting that materialism comes with it’s challenges.

  23. I totally disagree with the writer. RE developers are marketing homes here to communities that have no connection to Lakewood. All in the name of making money while congesting and changing the character of this beutiful town we have. Our children will most likely not be able to live in Lakewood and this is totally unfair.

  24. Since when is it anyone’s business who moves in or not. Welcome to America!!! Imagine if in Boro Park people would complain of yeshivish Lakewood people moving in to them. Some people are sick!

    • do you think boro park or Williamsburg would build developments and call it kiryat Lakewood to house Lakewood yeshivahleit? of course not they have a obligation to their own community first…that is all we are saying. We need to plan for our community before inviting brooklyners into Lakewood. Its called CHARITY STARTS AT HOME!! its realy common sence

  25. i would like to open a new community about am hour from Lakewood and have a spread out town cheap houses, around 8,000 famls the max whos in?

  26. It seems that many people think they own the place, the way they comment. Wake up! All you own are your actions, your words, and your attitude.

  27. The kedusha of Torah that Lakewood was originally started for has left the town and changed into a city full of gashmius that doesn’t belong in a town originally made only for people who devote their lives to Torah.

    how do you think Rav Aaron ZTL feels from the olam haemes when you see the city of lakewood today? The kedusha has gone down by far then it used to be.

    The new Lakewood community today is now living in Cleveland OH people who want to devote their lives to Torah Cleveland is the perfect simple frum Torah community to live in and raise a frum family there like lakewood used to be.

    I watched the community of lakewood turn over for over a 30 year journey of the kedusha going lower and lower R”L

  28. Just one question why are we allowing the few developers or large landowners manipulatively and intentionally drive the real estate prices up so they can gain. This effects the majority of people whether renting or owning by directly impacting rental or purchasing home prices as well as indirectly leaving a major effect on the entire local economy which eventually tricles down to the price of tuition or even a slice of pizza etc…

  29. I’ve just read many of the negative comments. Besides for the fact that we are all living in times of galus and even with the crowding let’s be thankful we have somewhere to live, these sentiments definitely feed in to the feelings of many goyim in Jackson and other surrounding towns…

  30. It’s not only about who is moving in. I agree that it is terrible and totally not in character with who we are to want to keep people out!

    I welcome anyone who wants to move to Lakewood; I am so proud that so many people want to live in our beautiful town.

    What I would be against, as people have mentioned, is all of the irresponsible building and overcrowding. Let everyone come from wherever as long as there are houses here for them! But why are there so many houses where they shouldn’t be?? It’s not about who is moving in; it’s about where we are putting them.

    Let’s not be unfriendly, but let’s also not be irresponsible.

    And why is it that you are either anti-foreigners or pro-developers? Why can’t we embrace our new neighbors while also acknowledging that the overcrowding has gotten out of hand and doing what we can to stop it?The neighbors weren’t the ones who caused it, they moved where the houses were being built.

  31. I have mishpachah in Lkwd. Unfortunately, for any student of BMG , there is not much choice. It would take a Godol with a Yeshivishah following to pick up and start a new development at least an hour from Lkwd. It reminds me not only of Yetzias Mitzrayim, where one man jumped in and the water split. More recently, in the late 90’s, the Siyum Hashas was scheduled in Madison Square Garden . The shortage of seats was complicated by some politics. My own Maggidei Shiur could not get a seat, so we all gat seats at the overflow venue in Nassau Coliseum. But with no dais, many felt unwilling to join. I think it was Rav Pam Ztzl, who volunteered to head the dais. Within days, most seats were sold. Although security was tighter and time-consuming to enter we came out ahead. Those who travelled to Garden, either by car or subway, paid a fortune for parking, and waited along time to get the car. Subway was not much better, because there were just not enough trains, and the line was long. We got out after the Siyum, and including Maariv minyan were on the way home within an hour. Traffic was moderate despite most of the cars going to Boro Park or Flatbush.

  32. Old time lakewooder here chiming in on missing the old simple non gashmiyus torahdik town and lifestyle where everyone knew each other for the most part and was walking distance between each other.
    On the flipside klal Yisroel has grown kah and are spreading wings everywhere as Brooklyn simply doesn’t have the space and is unaffordable so makes sense that ppl are moving here. Yup the world and lakewood have changed…

Comments are closed.