Dearest Greater Lakewood Community,
Today is a very significant and emotional day for the Klal.
With siyata d’shmaya, and thanks to the tireless efforts of our Rosh Yeshivos, Gedolim, Rabbanim, askanim, menahelim, and dedicated rabbeim, the Lakewood community has worked incredibly hard to ensure that every eighth-grade bochur is given the opportunity to be placed in a mesivta where he can truly thrive.
Today alone, there are over 2,000 bochurim scheduled for farhers.
For many families, this process has been months in the making — filled with hope, anxiety, tefillah, and sometimes real fear. Parents have done everything they can to advocate for what they believe is the best place for their child. Some feel confident. Others are unsure. And for some, this period is genuinely a nightmare: sleepless nights, endless phone calls, uncertainty, and emotional strain.
We all know the reality.
Some families have connections. Some do not.
Some have financial means. Some do not.
But every child deserves the same thing: to be seen for who he is, with his own strengths, challenges, and potential — and to be given a fair chance to succeed.
No bochur should have to wait weeks or months, only to be forced into a place that is not right for him simply because options ran out.
This is a moment for us as a tzibur.
A time for every individual in our community to take a few extra moments today — and in the coming days — to daven for the bochurim, for their parents, for the Rabbanim and askanim involved, and for the Klal as a whole.
May we merit true siyata d’shmaya, that each child finds the right mesivta, the right environment, and the right path forward — b’kavod, b’nachas, and b’hatzlacha.
Sincerely,
A Yid who truly cares about the Klal
TLS welcomes your letters by submitting them to us via Whatsapp or via email [email protected]
This is a beautiful letter and i hope all the bochurim get into the mesivta of their choice but as a father of many mesivta bochurim, the oilam should understand that the system that developed in Lakewood that the 8th grade rebbeim have to teach on such a high lever to so many kids in a class which in turn makes at least half the class not be at the potential they could be and therefore when it comes to mesivta they can only get into a 2nd rate yeshiva because the top mesivtos wont take the kids that technically have the potential to shine later on and therefore when they eventually go to Eretz Yisroel to have the yerida that no body can control they are on a much less ruchnius level then the girls who come out of their seminaries looking for the next Rav Chaim Kanievsky. Now since there are much less boys on that level to the girls who want a higher level that results in the official Shidduch Crisis that everybody talks about. So thank you mesivtas and 8th grade elementary school menahalim for this.
Correct, that is a more accurate cause of the shidduch crisis, than the age gap issue.
Why cant the 8th grade classes have a. Alef class and a beis class
Because the patent only wants to send to the Alef mesivta. As the first poster wrote ,he doesn’t want to send to what he calls a second rate mesivta. He wants tge whole 8th grade to learn on a lower level so his son can get into the top mesivta which then also will have to teach on a lower level.
Maybe have an aleph and bais baby sitters as well? This concept, prior to boys actually learning in depth, is completely innappropriate. As there are too many unknowns as far as capabilities. Another issue, and fact, is that putting bachurim of different caliber together is extremely beneficial for all in the long run.
Because there are only alef students
If only they could do something like this for the 8th grade girls. Lol into the girls before they have interviews, have the basic idea about which girls are being accepted to which schools, do the interview and acceptances in one day… no waiting, no game playing, etc
Nebuch what we have came to..months of anxiety sleepless nights worry for the boys and the parents for what!?! To learn and join a yeshiva they want..so so sad. It became a business!! A real business!! What a tragedy. Wish you all best of luck. Back in the day you asked to come learn they welcomed you in with open arms. Oy Oy Oy
The idea of elite only classes is something that many Gedolim did not approve. Many of the original mesivtas as STH wrote, ready for you if you were interested in learning, and didn’t play shtik with whether or not you should be accepted because of you being in the top 5% or your class or not.
Some bochurim accepted who were not at the top of their class and not considered to be the metzuyanim, ended up shteiging way above the original group of mitzayanim.
There are always crises of various types, resulting in much hand wringing and davening, yet hardly anyone one seems to move out. Puzzling.
So that’s your way of dealing with challenges, run away?
You know what they say.
Girls Highschools can’t start until every girl has a highschool.
Mesivtas in Lakewood can’t start until every menahel has at least one bachur.
This is the type of person I would wanna Have lunch with
so thoughtful kind in today’s insane evil world