Breslov Shul in Lakewood Dinner and Yartzheit Seuda at Bais Yosef hall 304 Monmouth Avenue Lakewood. Maariv 8:00 pm
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Yartzheit gathering at Breslov Lakewood
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Bill to Double Security Funding to NJ’s Nonpublic Schools Clears Legislature
News from Agudath Israel of America
New Jersey yeshiva parents will be able to breathe a little easier as a bill that will significantly increase security funding for nonpublic schools has passed the Legislature and makes its way to the governor's desk for his final approval.
The bill makes an $11.3 million appropriation to the Department of Education (DOE) where it will be used to raise the current security allocation from $75 to $150 per child registered in a nonpublic school. Currently, the DOE allocates $205 in security funding for every child registered in New Jersey’s public schools.
Bill S3080/A4597 was introduced in the Assembly by Assemblymembers Gary Schaer, Lisa Swain and Christopher Tully, and in the Senate by Senators Joseph Lagana, Vin Gopal and Paul Sarlo. The funding may be used for security services, technology or equipment in order to “ensure a safe and secure school environment for nonpublic school students.”
Ralph Zucker, chairman of Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office, thanked Senate Budget and Appropriation Committee Chairman Senator Paul Sarlo for his efforts.
“With the horrific Pittsburgh shooting still fresh in our minds, the need to protect our children while they are in school is more apparent than ever,” said Mr. Zucker.
Those thoughts were echoed by Duvy Gross, co-chairman of Agudah’s New Jersey office, who noted that it is only in recent years that the state has recognized the need to ensure the safety of all Garden State students, no matter what school they attend.
“Over the past four years we have seen security funding allocations for our children finally taking their rightful place in the state budget,” said Mr. Gross. “We are fortunate to have hardworking and dedicated public servants like Assemblyman Gary Schaer standing up for school safety at this time of unprecedented need.”
Having successfully cleared the Legislature, the bill which will be effective immediately, awaits one final action: the signature of Governor Phil Murphy. Rabbi Avi Schnall, director of the Agudah’s New Jersey office called on the governor to act on the bill without any delay.
“Our schools need this, and more importantly, our children need this,” said Rabbi Schnall. “We ask every New Jersey resident to contact Governor Murphy and to urge him to sign this bill into law so that nonpublic school children can focus on broadening their educational horizons without having to fear for their safety."
New Jersey yeshiva parents will be able to breathe a little easier as a bill that will significantly increase security funding for nonpublic schools has passed the Legislature and makes its way to the governor's desk for his final approval.
The bill makes an $11.3 million appropriation to the Department of Education (DOE) where it will be used to raise the current security allocation from $75 to $150 per child registered in a nonpublic school. Currently, the DOE allocates $205 in security funding for every child registered in New Jersey’s public schools.
Bill S3080/A4597 was introduced in the Assembly by Assemblymembers Gary Schaer, Lisa Swain and Christopher Tully, and in the Senate by Senators Joseph Lagana, Vin Gopal and Paul Sarlo. The funding may be used for security services, technology or equipment in order to “ensure a safe and secure school environment for nonpublic school students.”
Ralph Zucker, chairman of Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office, thanked Senate Budget and Appropriation Committee Chairman Senator Paul Sarlo for his efforts.
“With the horrific Pittsburgh shooting still fresh in our minds, the need to protect our children while they are in school is more apparent than ever,” said Mr. Zucker.
Those thoughts were echoed by Duvy Gross, co-chairman of Agudah’s New Jersey office, who noted that it is only in recent years that the state has recognized the need to ensure the safety of all Garden State students, no matter what school they attend.
“Over the past four years we have seen security funding allocations for our children finally taking their rightful place in the state budget,” said Mr. Gross. “We are fortunate to have hardworking and dedicated public servants like Assemblyman Gary Schaer standing up for school safety at this time of unprecedented need.”
Having successfully cleared the Legislature, the bill which will be effective immediately, awaits one final action: the signature of Governor Phil Murphy. Rabbi Avi Schnall, director of the Agudah’s New Jersey office called on the governor to act on the bill without any delay.
“Our schools need this, and more importantly, our children need this,” said Rabbi Schnall. “We ask every New Jersey resident to contact Governor Murphy and to urge him to sign this bill into law so that nonpublic school children can focus on broadening their educational horizons without having to fear for their safety."
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Oif Simchas/Events Lakewood December 17, 2018
Fast of Asara B'Teves begins at 5:46 AM or at 6:01 AM dawn fixed minutes
-Chasuna: Goldberger - Feldman at Lake Terrace hall
-Vort: Hachosson Yitzy Schwartzto Hakallah Bas R' nachum Berkovitz at 978 River Ave Lakewood
-Vort: Hachosson Eli Birnhack to Hakallah Michal Fuchs at Ateres Yeshaya hall 908 E County Line Rd Lakewood 7:00 pm
- Bais Rivka Rochel Dinner at Ateres Reva hall
- Yartzeit Seuda at Breslov 18 E. 8th Lakewood 9:15 pm
- Yartzeit Seuda and Dinner Breslov of 6th street at 304 Monmouth avenue 8:00 pm
Fast ends: R' Tukaccinsky at - 5:07 PM R' Moshe Feinstein One who finds fasting difficult may eat at - 5:11 PM One who does not find fasting difficult should wait until the time for מוצאי שבת at - 5:19 PM (My Zmanim)
-Chasuna: Goldberger - Feldman at Lake Terrace hall
-Vort: Hachosson Yitzy Schwartzto Hakallah Bas R' nachum Berkovitz at 978 River Ave Lakewood
-Vort: Hachosson Eli Birnhack to Hakallah Michal Fuchs at Ateres Yeshaya hall 908 E County Line Rd Lakewood 7:00 pm
- Bais Rivka Rochel Dinner at Ateres Reva hall
- Yartzeit Seuda at Breslov 18 E. 8th Lakewood 9:15 pm
- Yartzeit Seuda and Dinner Breslov of 6th street at 304 Monmouth avenue 8:00 pm
Fast ends: R' Tukaccinsky at - 5:07 PM R' Moshe Feinstein One who finds fasting difficult may eat at - 5:11 PM One who does not find fasting difficult should wait until the time for מוצאי שבת at - 5:19 PM (My Zmanim)
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Yeshivos face fines for not providing records of students' vaccination rates
News 12 Nine yeshivas in Rockland County are facing fines for not complying with an order put out by the Health Department regarding the measles outbreak. Several hearings are being held at the Pomona Health Complex between county lawyers and schools that failed to give health officials a list of students who are not fully vaccinated against the measles.
The county says nine private schools in Rockland are not in compliance. They face a penalty of $2,000 a day since Nov. 16, when the health commissioner issued the order.
The Department of Health has ordered schools in New Square, Spring Valley and Monsey with less than an 80 percent MMR vaccination rate to keep unvaccinated and under-vaccinated students home until 21 days have passed since the last confirmed measles case in Rockland.
Under state law, schools are required to provide health officials with records of students' vaccination rates. However, some schools have failed to do so.
There are currently 95 confirmed cases of measles in Rockland County, as well as seven suspected cases.
Officials say the measles outbreak is still ongoing, and that schools can no longer put people in danger.
"Whatever we have to do to ensure that the law is complied with. No. 1 - if that includes fines in the tens of thousands of dollars, so be it. If they still ignore us, we will go to court. If we have to shut the school down, we will shut the school down,” says Rockland County Executive Ed Day.
Some schools face fines upward of $60,000.
The Board of Health is scheduled to meet Wednesday to decide what fines the schools will be forced to pay.
The county says nine private schools in Rockland are not in compliance. They face a penalty of $2,000 a day since Nov. 16, when the health commissioner issued the order.
The Department of Health has ordered schools in New Square, Spring Valley and Monsey with less than an 80 percent MMR vaccination rate to keep unvaccinated and under-vaccinated students home until 21 days have passed since the last confirmed measles case in Rockland.
Under state law, schools are required to provide health officials with records of students' vaccination rates. However, some schools have failed to do so.
There are currently 95 confirmed cases of measles in Rockland County, as well as seven suspected cases.
Officials say the measles outbreak is still ongoing, and that schools can no longer put people in danger.
"Whatever we have to do to ensure that the law is complied with. No. 1 - if that includes fines in the tens of thousands of dollars, so be it. If they still ignore us, we will go to court. If we have to shut the school down, we will shut the school down,” says Rockland County Executive Ed Day.
Some schools face fines upward of $60,000.
The Board of Health is scheduled to meet Wednesday to decide what fines the schools will be forced to pay.
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Data Shows racial disparities in police use of force across New Jersey.
NJ Advance media Database provides hard evidence of racial disparities in police use of force across New Jersey.
Among the findings:
Black people are three times more likely to face some type of police force than whites.
In 68 cities and towns, black people were at least five times more likely to face force. In Lakewood, they were an astounding 22 times more likely. Lakewood Police Chief Gregory Meyer said he was surprised and concerned to see the numbers and planned to take action. Meyer, said he planned to talk to his captains and trainers about the data to see what could be changed. "We do a lot of diversity training here with our officers when they're new, because things are changing so quickly," Meyer said. "But if we're doing something poorly, we want to know about it."
The town of more than 100,000 is the fastest-growing in the state and a magnet for the predominantly white Orthodox Jewish community. The black community has shrunk from 12 percent of the population in 2000 to 4 percent in 2016. But black residents make up nearly 40 percent of the department's uses of force according to the report. see statistics on LPD use of force here
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Among the findings:
Black people are three times more likely to face some type of police force than whites.
In 68 cities and towns, black people were at least five times more likely to face force. In Lakewood, they were an astounding 22 times more likely. Lakewood Police Chief Gregory Meyer said he was surprised and concerned to see the numbers and planned to take action. Meyer, said he planned to talk to his captains and trainers about the data to see what could be changed. "We do a lot of diversity training here with our officers when they're new, because things are changing so quickly," Meyer said. "But if we're doing something poorly, we want to know about it."
The town of more than 100,000 is the fastest-growing in the state and a magnet for the predominantly white Orthodox Jewish community. The black community has shrunk from 12 percent of the population in 2000 to 4 percent in 2016. But black residents make up nearly 40 percent of the department's uses of force according to the report. see statistics on LPD use of force here
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A Kosher Cruise in Antarctica
A Group on a Kosher Cruise arranged by DansDeals is currently visiting Antarctica. See video below. Due to the geographical location and time the zmanim are different than most places. It is currently summer now south of the Arctic circle and the sun is out for a full 24 hours. Havdala on Motzei shabbos is at Chatzos followed by shachris at 1am.
A fast day like today Asarah Bteves is usually a 12 hour fast elsewhere but in Antarctica some say they must fast a full 24 hours. The question is how is a "day" defined Is it solely based on sunrise and sunset, or should the definition of a polar "day" be consistent with the length of a day in the rest of the world?
See Video below of a siyum that was made on the continent.
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Oif Simchas/Events Lakewood מוצאי עשרה בטבת 5779
Fast over 5:24 pm Late Maariv Somerset Walk 8:45 PM Or Satmar on Forest ave.
Chasuna: Kanner - Beer at Ateres Chana hall Bais Faiga
Chasuna: Orbach - Goldberg at Ne'emas Hachaim hall
-Parlor meeting Sinai Academy at 936 West Kennedy Blvd Lakewood 8:00 pm
-Yeshiva Bais hatalmud Lakewood Alumni Parlor meeting at yeshiva Ohr Torah 780 Vasser avenue Marriv at 5:33 pm Hot milchig Buffet Guest Speaker Harav Aryeh Sherwinter shlita
-Kabolas Panim for Slabodka Rosh yeshiva harav Moshe Hillel HIrsch shlita at 13 Soncino Place Lakewood 8:00 pm
-Yartzeit of Ba'al Erech Shai zt''l drasha at 8:00 pm by Gaavad of Woodridge at B:M Erech shai 114 Madison Avenue Lakewood
כל דור שלא נבנה בית המקדש בימיו כאילו נחרב בימיו נמצא שבכל שנה ושנה נתחדש חורבן חדש. וזהו בכל פעם שמגיע אותו יום של עשרה בטבת שהתחיל אז למעלה משפט החורבן כמו כן בכל דור ודור יושבים בית דין של מעלה וגוזרים החורבן של כל שנה ושנה "
(תורת משה דרוש ל-ז'אדר)
Chasuna: Kanner - Beer at Ateres Chana hall Bais Faiga
Chasuna: Orbach - Goldberg at Ne'emas Hachaim hall
-Parlor meeting Sinai Academy at 936 West Kennedy Blvd Lakewood 8:00 pm
-Yeshiva Bais hatalmud Lakewood Alumni Parlor meeting at yeshiva Ohr Torah 780 Vasser avenue Marriv at 5:33 pm Hot milchig Buffet Guest Speaker Harav Aryeh Sherwinter shlita
-Kabolas Panim for Slabodka Rosh yeshiva harav Moshe Hillel HIrsch shlita at 13 Soncino Place Lakewood 8:00 pm
-Yartzeit of Ba'al Erech Shai zt''l drasha at 8:00 pm by Gaavad of Woodridge at B:M Erech shai 114 Madison Avenue Lakewood
כל דור שלא נבנה בית המקדש בימיו כאילו נחרב בימיו נמצא שבכל שנה ושנה נתחדש חורבן חדש. וזהו בכל פעם שמגיע אותו יום של עשרה בטבת שהתחיל אז למעלה משפט החורבן כמו כן בכל דור ודור יושבים בית דין של מעלה וגוזרים החורבן של כל שנה ושנה "
(תורת משה דרוש ל-ז'אדר)
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Tonight: Lakewood Planning Board Meeting
Lakewood Planning board meeting Wednesday December 19, 2018 at town hall 6:00 pm
Watch live stream HERE
See full Agenda HERE and below
Cross and Massachusetts campus on the agenda
PUBLIC HEARING
1. SD 2360 JAYG Enterprises, LLC
1875 Swarthmore Avenue Block 1609, Lot 11
Minor Subdivision to create two lots
2. SP 2304 Khal Birchas Shimon
105 Linden Avenue Block 189.30, Lot 157
Preliminary & Final Major Site Plan for a synagogue & rabbi’s residence
3. SD 2353 CSR Equity, LLC
Boulevard of the Americas & Avenue of the States Block 961, Lot 2.06
Preliminary and Final Major Subdivision to create three lots
4. SD 2358 Winding River, LP
1255 Prospect Street Block 396, Lot 1.01
Minor Subdivision to create two lots and Amended Site Plan for existing site
5. SD 2375 ABGK, LLC
Bradhurst Avenue Block 1027, Lot 5
Minor Subdivision to create four lots and dedicate a portion of vacated right-ofway
back to the Town
6. SD 2376 SGKL, LLC
Havens Avenue Block 1037, Lot 3
Minor Subdivision to create two lots, one of which is being dedicated as a
portion of vacated right-of-way back to the Town
7. SD 2377 Vine Heaven, LLC
Broadway Avenue Block 1036, Lot 5.01 & 5.02
Minor Subdivision to adjust a lot line and dedicate a portion of vacated right-ofway
back to the Town
8. SD 2378 SGKL, LLC
Bradhurst Avenue Block 1026, Lots 8.05 & 8.06
Minor Subdivision to adjust a lot line and dedicate a portion of vacated right-ofway
back to the Town
9. SP 2290 Yeshiva Chemdas Hatorah
317 Cross Street Block 440, Lots 7.02, 56, & 60
Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan for a school campus
10. SP 2305 (A & B) CSR Equity, LLC
Boulevard of the Americas & Avenue of the States Block 961, Lot 2.06
Preliminary and Final Major Site Plans for two office buildings
Applicant failed to provide notice at least 10 days prior to the public hearing.
This application will not be heard tonight
Watch live stream HERE
See full Agenda HERE and below
Cross and Massachusetts campus on the agenda
PUBLIC HEARING
1. SD 2360 JAYG Enterprises, LLC
1875 Swarthmore Avenue Block 1609, Lot 11
Minor Subdivision to create two lots
2. SP 2304 Khal Birchas Shimon
105 Linden Avenue Block 189.30, Lot 157
Preliminary & Final Major Site Plan for a synagogue & rabbi’s residence
3. SD 2353 CSR Equity, LLC
Boulevard of the Americas & Avenue of the States Block 961, Lot 2.06
Preliminary and Final Major Subdivision to create three lots
4. SD 2358 Winding River, LP
1255 Prospect Street Block 396, Lot 1.01
Minor Subdivision to create two lots and Amended Site Plan for existing site
5. SD 2375 ABGK, LLC
Bradhurst Avenue Block 1027, Lot 5
Minor Subdivision to create four lots and dedicate a portion of vacated right-ofway
back to the Town
6. SD 2376 SGKL, LLC
Havens Avenue Block 1037, Lot 3
Minor Subdivision to create two lots, one of which is being dedicated as a
portion of vacated right-of-way back to the Town
7. SD 2377 Vine Heaven, LLC
Broadway Avenue Block 1036, Lot 5.01 & 5.02
Minor Subdivision to adjust a lot line and dedicate a portion of vacated right-ofway
back to the Town
8. SD 2378 SGKL, LLC
Bradhurst Avenue Block 1026, Lots 8.05 & 8.06
Minor Subdivision to adjust a lot line and dedicate a portion of vacated right-ofway
back to the Town
9. SP 2290 Yeshiva Chemdas Hatorah
317 Cross Street Block 440, Lots 7.02, 56, & 60
Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan for a school campus
10. SP 2305 (A & B) CSR Equity, LLC
Boulevard of the Americas & Avenue of the States Block 961, Lot 2.06
Preliminary and Final Major Site Plans for two office buildings
Applicant failed to provide notice at least 10 days prior to the public hearing.
This application will not be heard tonight
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Hamodia: Chinuch Crisis Update from the Front Lines
Hamodia.com By Rafael HoffmanTuesday, December 18, 2018 at 7:41 pm | י'טבת תשע"ט
A discussion with Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel about the ongoing chinuch crisis.
News of the revamped regulations for non-public schools has set off a wave of deep concern throughout the Orthodox community. Hamodia spoke with Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of America, to give the public additional clarity as to how the issue has reached its present stage, what is being done, and what can be done.
How did this issue metamorphose from a lawsuit from a small group of malcontents about a limited number of yeshivos into changes so radical that even the Catholic schools felt the need to boycott?
The guidance that New York State’s Department of Education has now issued has totally shifted the focus of our efforts in the fight for Torah chinuch.
Until now we were more or less sparring with a phantom. A small group of disgruntled former yeshivah students formed an organization called [Young Advocates for Fair Education] YAFFED. They painted themselves as “survivors” of the darkness and backwardness of the chassidishe yeshivah system, and they embarked on a crusade to enlighten those still caught in the clutches of what they portrayed as an educational system from the dark ages. The media and many in the “progressive” political camp loved them. The ugly story they told played beautifully in the larger narrative of hatred and fear of Chassidim — and to an extent of all Orthodox Jews — that we unfortunately see more and more of.
It was a terrible and ugly smear campaign against the community, but for several years it remained a low-level issue that at most raised some questions as to how government was regulating the yeshivos, but without any authority to make policy changes.
This campaign was carried on with sufficient force so that ultimately, the Board of Regents, which oversees schools in New York, took note and pressed the Commissioner of Education, Mary Ellen Elia, to take action, which is what she has now done with the release of these new guidelines for all non-public schools. This radically changes the nature of our struggle, as we are no longer fighting a group of heroic young figures, so to speak, but a government policy document that has very real implications.
As for the guidance itself, there are two parts. The first is a memo written in balanced prose that addresses the need for private schools to be “substantially equivalent” to public schools. It also speaks of the need for those evaluating private schools to be objective and open-minded and sensitive to the values of the parents and leaders of those institutions. In the hands of the right bureaucrat, you could see such guidance being enforced in a tolerable way.
Then there is a second section, which is a checklist of requirements. What was essentially done is that any statute that is not specifically limited to public schools was applied to private ones. The result is a long list of subjects that must be covered in each grade through high school. Most notably, in grades five through eight, the guidelines would require approximately seven hours a day, five days a week, of limudei chol.
The demands are completely unreasonable, for several reasons. First, I don’t believe that even public school students themselves are spending that amount of time in class. Furthermore, many of the conclusions they drew from what is on the books are highly questionable. Most troublesome of course is the fact that such demands basically make it impossible for any school to maintain a dual curriculum of limudei kodesh and limudei chol. It creates a problem, to a significant degree, for the Modern Orthodox day schools as well as for what we will call chareidi mosdos.
It is so outrageous that not only the entire Orthodox world but most of the broader non-public school community is up in arms about it. In an ironic way, the Commissioner might have done us a favor by going so far. Had the guidelines only addressed issues in the mosdos that this discussion started out with, I’m not sure you would have been able to galvanize such a broad force against the new regulations.
To what extent are askanim and Rabbanim willing to work with the state in trying to meet the standards of “substantial equivalency”?
The question of striking the correct balance between time for and emphasis on limudei chol in the yeshivos has always been an issue, and one that is obviously answered differently by different parts of the community. We can all acknowledge that there may be an obligation to give children a solid secular education, based on applying Chazal’s requirement to train children for an “umnus kallah u’nekiyah” [a respectable profession] in today’s world. The question becomes where to draw the line. We have a core mission of transmitting Torah and the mesorah to the next generation, which is the essential mission of yeshivos. Aside from the onerous nature of the new state requirements, at least as they stand on face value; the idea of the state being able to come into our yeshivos and make those judgment calls for us is a potentially fatal blow to the very essence of chinuch and to the future of Klal Yisrael.
Yes, of course our yeshivos should do all that they can to see that the time they devote to limudei chol is used to its utmost, and that students are getting the basic skills they need to be able to support themselves. But, we cannot compromise on our holy obligation of v’shinantom l’vanecha which, as Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz, zt”l, points out in Birchas Shmuel, is to make our children “talmidei chachamim and geonim.”
If taken at face value, will this affect every yeshivah and day school, or do some have more reason for concern than others?
This week, Thursday, the State Education Department is convening a large meeting to train people for implementation of the new regulations. This event is for those who will be involved in making evaluations, as well as for representatives from non-public schools. It’s possible that some of what these guidelines seem to mean at face value will be modified, which would not surprise me. After that, I think we will have a better picture as to what types of institutions will actually be affected by this in the immediate future.
How much of this is about funding? All funding comes with compliance requirements which are left to the discretion of state authorities, but would this be a problem even if yeshivos theoretically gave up the financial aid they receive from the city and state?
According to the present document, this has nothing to do with funding. It does say that if schools are found non-compliant, funding for the few services the state provides could be stripped, but it does not stop there.
It says that if schools do not meet these standards, parents will be asked to remove their children from those institutions, and if they refuse they will be considered truant. Technically, that means that the local child welfare board could knock on the front door and take those children away from the parents on the grounds of being educationally neglectful. I do not see such dire consequences happening so fast, but it illustrates the nature of the challenge we are facing. Truancy is a real legal status with real consequences.
What is being done currently by Rabbanim and non-public-school advocates, and what options remain to deal with this issue?
We are pursuing various options, none of which offers simple solutions. We are speaking to people in the political world as well as in other segments of the non-public-school world. We are trying to galvanize public opinion. Particularly noteworthy have been the remarkable efforts of two Roshei Yeshivah, Harav Elya Brudny of the Mir and Harav Yisroel Reisman of Torah Vodaas. These leading voices of the Torah community have had an article published in the Wall Street Journal, have personally visited the State Education Commissioner, have followed up with her by seeking clarification on several critical points in the guidance, and have hosted and participated in numerous internal strategy meetings. Their involvement, as well as that of Harav Yaakov Bender of Darchei Torah, has been nothing short of remarkable.
We are also looking carefully at legal options, which I think have some potential. There are some technical questions that could be posed to the courts, like whether the Commissioner had authority to do this. Then there is the fundamental issue about the religious freedom of parents to educate their children according to their faith and traditions. There is a firm precedent for this. In the early 1970s, the Supreme Court upheld an Amish family’s right not to educate their children beyond the eighth grade on constitutional grounds of freedom of religion. This gives us a strong foundation to work with, especially since the time our children spend not studying secular studies are applied to a rigorous intellectual academic pursuit — learning Torah.
Beyond that, every Yid who cares about the future of Klal Yisrael has his hishtadlus to do as well. There is a petition going around to tell the state how unhappy the community is about the new regulations and how deeply offensive and intolerable they find them. It’s already gathered thousands of signatures in just a few days, and I think it sends a strong message.
It goes without saying that our first move is to turn to the Shomer Yisrael with tefillah and maasim tovim. The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah declared Asarah b’Teves as a Yom Tefillah for this matter, but you don’t need me to say that it should not stop there. This is something that really strikes at the heart of Klal Yisrael, and we each need to do what we can to see that it reaches a favorable conclusion.
A discussion with Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel about the ongoing chinuch crisis.
News of the revamped regulations for non-public schools has set off a wave of deep concern throughout the Orthodox community. Hamodia spoke with Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of America, to give the public additional clarity as to how the issue has reached its present stage, what is being done, and what can be done.
How did this issue metamorphose from a lawsuit from a small group of malcontents about a limited number of yeshivos into changes so radical that even the Catholic schools felt the need to boycott?
The guidance that New York State’s Department of Education has now issued has totally shifted the focus of our efforts in the fight for Torah chinuch.
Until now we were more or less sparring with a phantom. A small group of disgruntled former yeshivah students formed an organization called [Young Advocates for Fair Education] YAFFED. They painted themselves as “survivors” of the darkness and backwardness of the chassidishe yeshivah system, and they embarked on a crusade to enlighten those still caught in the clutches of what they portrayed as an educational system from the dark ages. The media and many in the “progressive” political camp loved them. The ugly story they told played beautifully in the larger narrative of hatred and fear of Chassidim — and to an extent of all Orthodox Jews — that we unfortunately see more and more of.
It was a terrible and ugly smear campaign against the community, but for several years it remained a low-level issue that at most raised some questions as to how government was regulating the yeshivos, but without any authority to make policy changes.
This campaign was carried on with sufficient force so that ultimately, the Board of Regents, which oversees schools in New York, took note and pressed the Commissioner of Education, Mary Ellen Elia, to take action, which is what she has now done with the release of these new guidelines for all non-public schools. This radically changes the nature of our struggle, as we are no longer fighting a group of heroic young figures, so to speak, but a government policy document that has very real implications.
As for the guidance itself, there are two parts. The first is a memo written in balanced prose that addresses the need for private schools to be “substantially equivalent” to public schools. It also speaks of the need for those evaluating private schools to be objective and open-minded and sensitive to the values of the parents and leaders of those institutions. In the hands of the right bureaucrat, you could see such guidance being enforced in a tolerable way.
Then there is a second section, which is a checklist of requirements. What was essentially done is that any statute that is not specifically limited to public schools was applied to private ones. The result is a long list of subjects that must be covered in each grade through high school. Most notably, in grades five through eight, the guidelines would require approximately seven hours a day, five days a week, of limudei chol.
The demands are completely unreasonable, for several reasons. First, I don’t believe that even public school students themselves are spending that amount of time in class. Furthermore, many of the conclusions they drew from what is on the books are highly questionable. Most troublesome of course is the fact that such demands basically make it impossible for any school to maintain a dual curriculum of limudei kodesh and limudei chol. It creates a problem, to a significant degree, for the Modern Orthodox day schools as well as for what we will call chareidi mosdos.
It is so outrageous that not only the entire Orthodox world but most of the broader non-public school community is up in arms about it. In an ironic way, the Commissioner might have done us a favor by going so far. Had the guidelines only addressed issues in the mosdos that this discussion started out with, I’m not sure you would have been able to galvanize such a broad force against the new regulations.
To what extent are askanim and Rabbanim willing to work with the state in trying to meet the standards of “substantial equivalency”?
The question of striking the correct balance between time for and emphasis on limudei chol in the yeshivos has always been an issue, and one that is obviously answered differently by different parts of the community. We can all acknowledge that there may be an obligation to give children a solid secular education, based on applying Chazal’s requirement to train children for an “umnus kallah u’nekiyah” [a respectable profession] in today’s world. The question becomes where to draw the line. We have a core mission of transmitting Torah and the mesorah to the next generation, which is the essential mission of yeshivos. Aside from the onerous nature of the new state requirements, at least as they stand on face value; the idea of the state being able to come into our yeshivos and make those judgment calls for us is a potentially fatal blow to the very essence of chinuch and to the future of Klal Yisrael.
Yes, of course our yeshivos should do all that they can to see that the time they devote to limudei chol is used to its utmost, and that students are getting the basic skills they need to be able to support themselves. But, we cannot compromise on our holy obligation of v’shinantom l’vanecha which, as Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz, zt”l, points out in Birchas Shmuel, is to make our children “talmidei chachamim and geonim.”
If taken at face value, will this affect every yeshivah and day school, or do some have more reason for concern than others?
This week, Thursday, the State Education Department is convening a large meeting to train people for implementation of the new regulations. This event is for those who will be involved in making evaluations, as well as for representatives from non-public schools. It’s possible that some of what these guidelines seem to mean at face value will be modified, which would not surprise me. After that, I think we will have a better picture as to what types of institutions will actually be affected by this in the immediate future.
How much of this is about funding? All funding comes with compliance requirements which are left to the discretion of state authorities, but would this be a problem even if yeshivos theoretically gave up the financial aid they receive from the city and state?
According to the present document, this has nothing to do with funding. It does say that if schools are found non-compliant, funding for the few services the state provides could be stripped, but it does not stop there.
It says that if schools do not meet these standards, parents will be asked to remove their children from those institutions, and if they refuse they will be considered truant. Technically, that means that the local child welfare board could knock on the front door and take those children away from the parents on the grounds of being educationally neglectful. I do not see such dire consequences happening so fast, but it illustrates the nature of the challenge we are facing. Truancy is a real legal status with real consequences.
What is being done currently by Rabbanim and non-public-school advocates, and what options remain to deal with this issue?
We are pursuing various options, none of which offers simple solutions. We are speaking to people in the political world as well as in other segments of the non-public-school world. We are trying to galvanize public opinion. Particularly noteworthy have been the remarkable efforts of two Roshei Yeshivah, Harav Elya Brudny of the Mir and Harav Yisroel Reisman of Torah Vodaas. These leading voices of the Torah community have had an article published in the Wall Street Journal, have personally visited the State Education Commissioner, have followed up with her by seeking clarification on several critical points in the guidance, and have hosted and participated in numerous internal strategy meetings. Their involvement, as well as that of Harav Yaakov Bender of Darchei Torah, has been nothing short of remarkable.
We are also looking carefully at legal options, which I think have some potential. There are some technical questions that could be posed to the courts, like whether the Commissioner had authority to do this. Then there is the fundamental issue about the religious freedom of parents to educate their children according to their faith and traditions. There is a firm precedent for this. In the early 1970s, the Supreme Court upheld an Amish family’s right not to educate their children beyond the eighth grade on constitutional grounds of freedom of religion. This gives us a strong foundation to work with, especially since the time our children spend not studying secular studies are applied to a rigorous intellectual academic pursuit — learning Torah.
Beyond that, every Yid who cares about the future of Klal Yisrael has his hishtadlus to do as well. There is a petition going around to tell the state how unhappy the community is about the new regulations and how deeply offensive and intolerable they find them. It’s already gathered thousands of signatures in just a few days, and I think it sends a strong message.
It goes without saying that our first move is to turn to the Shomer Yisrael with tefillah and maasim tovim. The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah declared Asarah b’Teves as a Yom Tefillah for this matter, but you don’t need me to say that it should not stop there. This is something that really strikes at the heart of Klal Yisrael, and we each need to do what we can to see that it reaches a favorable conclusion.
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Update: OU Reports on Negotiations with NY Education Dept
Cross Currents December 19, 2018
Teach NYS of the OU Confirms 3.5 Hour Daily Core Subject Requirement (Grades 7 and 8) In NYSED Enforcement Guidance (the units of study do not apply to grades 5 and 6) "We have been, and remain extremely concerned by state regulation of Yeshiva and day school curriculum."
To: Teach NYS Member Schools
On November 20th, 2018, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) issued its Substantial Equivalency Guidance regarding curriculum requirements for non-public schools. Since the issuance of this Guidance, TEACH NYS, a project of the Orthodox Union, has been working with our school partners, leadership and advocates in Albany to understand and begin to address these requirements and enforcement measures. Concurrently, we have been communicating with government officials and others in Albany to help them understand and address the myriad issues relating to the guidance.
In summary response to the questions our member schools are asking, there are two issues that we are prepared to report on now. First, with regard to high schools, NYSED’s Guidance provides that all registered high schools are already in compliance and have no further obligations. Virtually all of the high schools in the TEACH NYS network are registered with NYSED. Second, in response to our inquiries, NYSED provided written clarification that the mandatory units of daily secular study are not more than one per grade for core subjects (English, Math, Social Studies and Science). This translates to 3.5 required hours of required instruction per day (not counting physical education) for grades 7-8. We held off distributing this important information until we could confirm this clarification at senior levels of NYSED – which we received from multiple sources at NYSED yesterday.
Philosophically, we believe that there are additional open issues that need to be addressed. First, we are extremely concerned about government regulation of the curriculum of religious day schools and Yeshivas. Our educational institutions should have the right to fashion our children’s education in a manner consistent with our Torah values and a curriculum that fosters the inculcation of such values and our religious tenets. Second, we are extremely concerned that the locus of enforcement authority with respect to State mandates sits with local school authorities. To the extent that workable guidelines are to be formulated, they require clarity and consistency which can only be achieved by centralized formulation and implementation.
Process concerns us also. Subsequent to the issuance of the November 20th Guidance, a number of organizations, coalition partners, heads of school and Roshei Yeshiva appropriately reached out to NYSED to seek clarification on a number of issues. Teach NYS likewise reached out to NYSED. While some of our questions have been answered, we have been in contact with our coalition partners, including prominent Roshei Yeshiva, and are advised that others, including these prominent Roshei Yeshiva, have made specific inquiries and requests that have yet to be responded to. We have urged NYSED to reach out to all parties to deal with these inquiries; an open discussion with all parties is important to avoid further aggravating an already difficult and confusing situation. Lastly, we note that the written responses we received from NYSED (which are set forth in full below) were accompanied by a commitment by NYSED to incorporate this and other clarifications into its Guidance. To date, no such revised Guidance has been issued. We urge NYSED, in the strongest terms possible, to clarify its Guidance as it has committed to do.
To conclude: We have been, and remain extremely concerned by state regulation of Yeshiva and day school curriculum. We strongly believe that any enforcement of the Guidance should be at the State and not local level. We call upon NYSED to issue their revised Guidance forthwith, and to make a concerted effort to engage with all organizations and groups that seek to engage with them.
Moving forward: Over the coming months, Teach NYS will work together with our coalition partners to seek appropriate clarifications and modifications of the Guidance and will continue to report to you on a regular basis with respect to our progress. In the interim, if there are any questions regarding this advisory, or any other aspects of the Guidance, please feel free to contact Maury Litwack, our Executive Director, with any questions.
Set forth below are the details of our correspondence with NYSED.
QUESTION: How many hours of instruction are required per day?
Based on the mandatory units of study found in “Appendix A”, Teach NYS informed NYSED that the new Substantial Equivalency Guidance requires at least 7.2 hours of instruction each day for grades 7 and 8. 7.2 hours far exceed the NYS compulsory education law requirement of 5.5 hours. Teach NYS informed NYSED of this inconsistency in the Guidance and requested an explanation.
ANSWER: NYSED responded by email informing us that the language in “Appendix A” of the Guidance was not clear and would be clarified to explain that students are to receive such instruction by the end of grade 8.
For example, two units of study for English language arts must be completed by the end of grade 8 (one unit in grade 7 and one unit in grade 8). Two units of study in English language arts are not required in each grade, 7 and 8. This pertains to all of the requirements, with the exception of library and information skills. What this means is that a school must only offer a minimum of 180 minutes per week (around 36 minutes per subject per day) of English, Math, Social Studies and Science for grades 7 and 8.
QUESTION: Teach NYS informed NYSED that the law only requires grades 7 and 8 to meet the units of study hourly requirements; the units of study do not apply to grades 5 and 6. Teach NYS requested that NYSED confirm that grades 5 and 6 are not required to meet the units of study requirement or provide an explanation with the supporting regulation.
ANSWER: NYSED responded that they will work through how to resolve differences in the structure of State intermediate learning standards and current regulation. A clarification will be posted shortly.
Additional Views
Judaic Curriculum and Equivalency: It continues to remain unclear which parts of our Judaic studies curriculum will satisfy the New York Learning Standards based equivalency requirements as determined by NYSED Guidance. The NYSED Guidance states: “In nonpublic schools, the unit of study requirements may be met, or their equivalents may be met, by the incorporation of the State learning standards of such subjects into the syllabi for other courses. Such integration must be documented in writing and kept on file at the school.”
How this Guidance will be applied remains to be clarified.
Non-academic subjects: Further discussion is warranted to determine the specifics of non-academic subjects like Career Development and Occupational Studies and physical education, among others.
Teach NYS of the OU Confirms 3.5 Hour Daily Core Subject Requirement (Grades 7 and 8) In NYSED Enforcement Guidance (the units of study do not apply to grades 5 and 6) "We have been, and remain extremely concerned by state regulation of Yeshiva and day school curriculum."
To: Teach NYS Member Schools
On November 20th, 2018, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) issued its Substantial Equivalency Guidance regarding curriculum requirements for non-public schools. Since the issuance of this Guidance, TEACH NYS, a project of the Orthodox Union, has been working with our school partners, leadership and advocates in Albany to understand and begin to address these requirements and enforcement measures. Concurrently, we have been communicating with government officials and others in Albany to help them understand and address the myriad issues relating to the guidance.
In summary response to the questions our member schools are asking, there are two issues that we are prepared to report on now. First, with regard to high schools, NYSED’s Guidance provides that all registered high schools are already in compliance and have no further obligations. Virtually all of the high schools in the TEACH NYS network are registered with NYSED. Second, in response to our inquiries, NYSED provided written clarification that the mandatory units of daily secular study are not more than one per grade for core subjects (English, Math, Social Studies and Science). This translates to 3.5 required hours of required instruction per day (not counting physical education) for grades 7-8. We held off distributing this important information until we could confirm this clarification at senior levels of NYSED – which we received from multiple sources at NYSED yesterday.
Philosophically, we believe that there are additional open issues that need to be addressed. First, we are extremely concerned about government regulation of the curriculum of religious day schools and Yeshivas. Our educational institutions should have the right to fashion our children’s education in a manner consistent with our Torah values and a curriculum that fosters the inculcation of such values and our religious tenets. Second, we are extremely concerned that the locus of enforcement authority with respect to State mandates sits with local school authorities. To the extent that workable guidelines are to be formulated, they require clarity and consistency which can only be achieved by centralized formulation and implementation.
Process concerns us also. Subsequent to the issuance of the November 20th Guidance, a number of organizations, coalition partners, heads of school and Roshei Yeshiva appropriately reached out to NYSED to seek clarification on a number of issues. Teach NYS likewise reached out to NYSED. While some of our questions have been answered, we have been in contact with our coalition partners, including prominent Roshei Yeshiva, and are advised that others, including these prominent Roshei Yeshiva, have made specific inquiries and requests that have yet to be responded to. We have urged NYSED to reach out to all parties to deal with these inquiries; an open discussion with all parties is important to avoid further aggravating an already difficult and confusing situation. Lastly, we note that the written responses we received from NYSED (which are set forth in full below) were accompanied by a commitment by NYSED to incorporate this and other clarifications into its Guidance. To date, no such revised Guidance has been issued. We urge NYSED, in the strongest terms possible, to clarify its Guidance as it has committed to do.
To conclude: We have been, and remain extremely concerned by state regulation of Yeshiva and day school curriculum. We strongly believe that any enforcement of the Guidance should be at the State and not local level. We call upon NYSED to issue their revised Guidance forthwith, and to make a concerted effort to engage with all organizations and groups that seek to engage with them.
Moving forward: Over the coming months, Teach NYS will work together with our coalition partners to seek appropriate clarifications and modifications of the Guidance and will continue to report to you on a regular basis with respect to our progress. In the interim, if there are any questions regarding this advisory, or any other aspects of the Guidance, please feel free to contact Maury Litwack, our Executive Director, with any questions.
Set forth below are the details of our correspondence with NYSED.
QUESTION: How many hours of instruction are required per day?
Based on the mandatory units of study found in “Appendix A”, Teach NYS informed NYSED that the new Substantial Equivalency Guidance requires at least 7.2 hours of instruction each day for grades 7 and 8. 7.2 hours far exceed the NYS compulsory education law requirement of 5.5 hours. Teach NYS informed NYSED of this inconsistency in the Guidance and requested an explanation.
ANSWER: NYSED responded by email informing us that the language in “Appendix A” of the Guidance was not clear and would be clarified to explain that students are to receive such instruction by the end of grade 8.
For example, two units of study for English language arts must be completed by the end of grade 8 (one unit in grade 7 and one unit in grade 8). Two units of study in English language arts are not required in each grade, 7 and 8. This pertains to all of the requirements, with the exception of library and information skills. What this means is that a school must only offer a minimum of 180 minutes per week (around 36 minutes per subject per day) of English, Math, Social Studies and Science for grades 7 and 8.
QUESTION: Teach NYS informed NYSED that the law only requires grades 7 and 8 to meet the units of study hourly requirements; the units of study do not apply to grades 5 and 6. Teach NYS requested that NYSED confirm that grades 5 and 6 are not required to meet the units of study requirement or provide an explanation with the supporting regulation.
ANSWER: NYSED responded that they will work through how to resolve differences in the structure of State intermediate learning standards and current regulation. A clarification will be posted shortly.
Additional Views
Judaic Curriculum and Equivalency: It continues to remain unclear which parts of our Judaic studies curriculum will satisfy the New York Learning Standards based equivalency requirements as determined by NYSED Guidance. The NYSED Guidance states: “In nonpublic schools, the unit of study requirements may be met, or their equivalents may be met, by the incorporation of the State learning standards of such subjects into the syllabi for other courses. Such integration must be documented in writing and kept on file at the school.”
How this Guidance will be applied remains to be clarified.
Non-academic subjects: Further discussion is warranted to determine the specifics of non-academic subjects like Career Development and Occupational Studies and physical education, among others.
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Jackson High School in Lock down due to Police Activity
Earlier today at 2pm Police surrounded a home at New Central avenue and Hope Rd at the Lakewood/Jackson border reports of a individual who claimed to have explosive. As a precaution nearby schools were placed on lockdown.
Updated statement from the Jackson, NJ BOE: 3:45 pm
FYI Police activity near Jackson Liberty High School is focused on a police matter in a private home near the school. Law enforcement is using our parking lot in their response. Students who were staying after school and needing to access their cars are being escorted to their cars by police. We are in communication with police. At this point we do not know what, if any, impact this will have on the McAuliffe Band Concert scheduled for this evening at Jackson Liberty High School. We will update this posting when we have more information
Original post
Students and staff at McAuliffe Middle School and students involved in after-school activities or sports at Jackson Liberty High School have been asked to shelter in place while police respond to a matter at a private home near that area. Middle school dismissal and high school late buses are expected to depart on time. As a precaution, there will be an increased police presence while students board the buses at both schools.
Updated statement from the Jackson, NJ BOE: 3:45 pm
FYI Police activity near Jackson Liberty High School is focused on a police matter in a private home near the school. Law enforcement is using our parking lot in their response. Students who were staying after school and needing to access their cars are being escorted to their cars by police. We are in communication with police. At this point we do not know what, if any, impact this will have on the McAuliffe Band Concert scheduled for this evening at Jackson Liberty High School. We will update this posting when we have more information
Original post
Students and staff at McAuliffe Middle School and students involved in after-school activities or sports at Jackson Liberty High School have been asked to shelter in place while police respond to a matter at a private home near that area. Middle school dismissal and high school late buses are expected to depart on time. As a precaution, there will be an increased police presence while students board the buses at both schools.
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Oif Simchas Lakewood December 19, 2018
Chasuna: Ryback - Glanzman at Fountain Ballroom Lakewood Cheder
Chasuna: Landynsky - Schreiber at Ne'emas Hachaim hall
Vort: Hachosson Aaron Moshe Elezary to Hakallah Fayazi at Madison Manor hall 4th and Madison Lakewood 7:30 pm
Chasuna: Landynsky - Schreiber at Ne'emas Hachaim hall
Vort: Hachosson Aaron Moshe Elezary to Hakallah Fayazi at Madison Manor hall 4th and Madison Lakewood 7:30 pm
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Eiruvin in Lakewood a Halachic Overview
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Giyus Banos protest
A Chareidi girl from Netanya is in military prison for 10 days already, according to a report on 'Kol Berama' radio! The girl was arrested at Ben Gurion Int'l airport as she was with her mother on the way to a family simchah. Please daven for Rivkah bas Simchah. A large Hafgana is lanned tonight in Kikar shabbos
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Arutz Sheva- An young haredi woman from Netanya has been detained in military prison for ten days for evading IDF service. According to Kol Bracha radio, the young woman was educated in Chabad institutions and now lives a haredi lifestyle. Her mother said the daughter was arrested at the airport on her way to Paris for a family celebration. "They put handcuffs on her and took her into custody, and told us she was evading recruitment." According to the mother, an incident occurred a few years ago involving one of her daughters that shook the family. Following the incident, her daughter was transferred to a boarding school and her spiritual level plunged. The daughter shared photos on Facebook in which she appears to be living a secular lifestyle and from which the army based its position that she is secular and therefore must enlist.
The IDF Spokesman stated "the girl filed a religious affidavit in July 2017. Following evidence that was found and presented to her indicating a false statement, the above decided to withdraw the religious declaration and after necessary procedures was placed for re-recruitment.
"Despite the waiver of the declaration, a few months later she submitted an exemption request for religious reasons. It was examined by the deputy commander of Meitav and denied, and it was decided that she must be drafted."
Arutz Sheva- An young haredi woman from Netanya has been detained in military prison for ten days for evading IDF service. According to Kol Bracha radio, the young woman was educated in Chabad institutions and now lives a haredi lifestyle. Her mother said the daughter was arrested at the airport on her way to Paris for a family celebration. "They put handcuffs on her and took her into custody, and told us she was evading recruitment." According to the mother, an incident occurred a few years ago involving one of her daughters that shook the family. Following the incident, her daughter was transferred to a boarding school and her spiritual level plunged. The daughter shared photos on Facebook in which she appears to be living a secular lifestyle and from which the army based its position that she is secular and therefore must enlist.
The IDF Spokesman stated "the girl filed a religious affidavit in July 2017. Following evidence that was found and presented to her indicating a false statement, the above decided to withdraw the religious declaration and after necessary procedures was placed for re-recruitment.
"Despite the waiver of the declaration, a few months later she submitted an exemption request for religious reasons. It was examined by the deputy commander of Meitav and denied, and it was decided that she must be drafted."
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Lakewood News Briefs December 20, 2018
-Authorities investigating dead body found in a van at the Kennedy Shopping Plaza in Lakewood possible Drug overdose van may have been stolen. Chevra Kadisha services not needed.
-APP: Why this Orthodox Jewish woman is taking on the comments section
-LNN: K'hal Birchas Shimon's Site Plan application was presented at the Planning Board last night.
The proposal is to build a Rabbi's residence / 1600 sq ft shul at Somerset and Linden Ave. Curb and sidewalk already exist, and a lighting and landscaping plan is proposed, however, they are seeking a serious parking variance, as well as front yard setback variances, on a narrow and congested intersection. Many residents, both in support of and in opposition to the proposal, were at the hearing.
The application was tabled for the time being so the applicant can attempt to work things out with the neighbors
pidyon shvuyimרב אשר בן חנה פרומט
-APP: Why this Orthodox Jewish woman is taking on the comments section
-LNN: K'hal Birchas Shimon's Site Plan application was presented at the Planning Board last night.
The proposal is to build a Rabbi's residence / 1600 sq ft shul at Somerset and Linden Ave. Curb and sidewalk already exist, and a lighting and landscaping plan is proposed, however, they are seeking a serious parking variance, as well as front yard setback variances, on a narrow and congested intersection. Many residents, both in support of and in opposition to the proposal, were at the hearing.
The application was tabled for the time being so the applicant can attempt to work things out with the neighbors
pidyon shvuyimרב אשר בן חנה פרומט
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OCHD: Measles update 12/20/18
MEASLES UPDATE: More confirmed cases but last onset date remains the same.
The following is a summary with new and ongoing information with respect to the measles outbreak from the Ocean County Health Department.
•There are now 24 confirmed measles cases.
•There are now 10 cases under investigation.
•The measles outbreak is presently defined by a rash onset date of October 17, 2018 through November 25, 2018.
•The measles outbreak continues until at least 42 days after the last known infection. The last rash onset date is November 25, 2018 and 4 days of infection ended on November 29, 2018. Therefore, at present, at least 42 days must elapse from the date of November 29, 2018 prior to consideration of an end to the measles outbreak.
The following is a summary with new and ongoing information with respect to the measles outbreak from the Ocean County Health Department.
•There are now 24 confirmed measles cases.
•There are now 10 cases under investigation.
•The measles outbreak is presently defined by a rash onset date of October 17, 2018 through November 25, 2018.
•The measles outbreak continues until at least 42 days after the last known infection. The last rash onset date is November 25, 2018 and 4 days of infection ended on November 29, 2018. Therefore, at present, at least 42 days must elapse from the date of November 29, 2018 prior to consideration of an end to the measles outbreak.
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Oif Simchas Lakewood December 20, 2018
Chasuna: Winkler - Frank at Ne'emas Hachaim hall
Chasuna: London - Goldstein at Ateres Chana hall Bais Faiga
Chasuna: Zolty - Eisenstaedt at Lake Terrace hall
Vort: Hachosson Chatzkel Hamburger to Hakallah Nendi skorski (Cleveland) at Ateres Yeshaya hall 908 E County Line rd lakewood, NJ 7:30 pm
Vort: Hachosson Moshe Mishler to HaKallah Sara Pepose at Madison Manor 401 Madison Ave, Lakewood, NJ 7:45 pm
-Yeshiva of Monroe Parlor meeting at 1175 Buckwald Lakewood , NJ 8:00 pm
-Parlor Meeting for Kollel Kaminetz at 3 Merlot Prospect Vines Guest speaker Harav Shlom,o Feivel Schustal shlita
-Shiur on Rambam from Harav Yankel Drilman at 500 Marc Drive 11:00 pm
Chasuna: London - Goldstein at Ateres Chana hall Bais Faiga
Chasuna: Zolty - Eisenstaedt at Lake Terrace hall
Vort: Hachosson Chatzkel Hamburger to Hakallah Nendi skorski (Cleveland) at Ateres Yeshaya hall 908 E County Line rd lakewood, NJ 7:30 pm
Vort: Hachosson Moshe Mishler to HaKallah Sara Pepose at Madison Manor 401 Madison Ave, Lakewood, NJ 7:45 pm
-Yeshiva of Monroe Parlor meeting at 1175 Buckwald Lakewood , NJ 8:00 pm
-Parlor Meeting for Kollel Kaminetz at 3 Merlot Prospect Vines Guest speaker Harav Shlom,o Feivel Schustal shlita
-Shiur on Rambam from Harav Yankel Drilman at 500 Marc Drive 11:00 pm
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Petition: Nominate Isaac Akerman to be Lakewood's Mayor for 2019
Petition to the Lakewood township committee:
Make Isaac Akerman Mayor Again SIGN PETITION HERE
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The tradition in Lakewood has always been that the position of mayor revolves each year, with the dominating party in the Committee choosing a member of their own party for the Township's top position. Two years ago, the Republican-majority Committee broke from tradition and nominated Democrat Ray Coles as mayor. Last year again, they broke from tradition another way, and choose Coles to be mayor for a second consecutive year - an unheard of phenomenon in Lakewood's recent history. The nomination last year was apposed by two of the three Republicans on the Committee, but Miller's defection, together with Democrats Lichtenstein and Coles' vote, secured the position for Coles. (Coles' own vote shifted the majority in his favor. Had he been disqualified to vote for himself, his nomination would have never held up.)
Isaac Akerman is questionably the most popular member of the Committee. He is known for respecting the will of all Lakewood residents, while simultaneously not resorting to extreme anti-establishment-style governing. He is looked upon by many Lakewood residents as the mature adult in the room, who puts his personal aspirations second to the needs of the Lakewood community. His stints as mayor in 2013 and 2015 have been very successful, and he deserves another term.
Members of the Committee: We elected you because we believe that you would conform to the will of the people, and that you have it in you to make hard choices when hard choices are necessary. We, the people of Lakewood, now call upon you to please return the Mayoral seat to the majority party, and nominate Isaac Akerman to be Lakewood's Mayor for 2019.
The Mayor will be chosen at a Township meeting held in the municipal building on January 1 at 11 a.m. We will expect an explanation of your choice when the vote is tallied; please don't make a choice that you fill find difficult to justify.
https://www.change.org/p/lakewood-township-committee-make-isaac-akerman-mayor-again
Make Isaac Akerman Mayor Again SIGN PETITION HERE
The tradition in Lakewood has always been that the position of mayor revolves each year, with the dominating party in the Committee choosing a member of their own party for the Township's top position. Two years ago, the Republican-majority Committee broke from tradition and nominated Democrat Ray Coles as mayor. Last year again, they broke from tradition another way, and choose Coles to be mayor for a second consecutive year - an unheard of phenomenon in Lakewood's recent history. The nomination last year was apposed by two of the three Republicans on the Committee, but Miller's defection, together with Democrats Lichtenstein and Coles' vote, secured the position for Coles. (Coles' own vote shifted the majority in his favor. Had he been disqualified to vote for himself, his nomination would have never held up.)Isaac Akerman is questionably the most popular member of the Committee. He is known for respecting the will of all Lakewood residents, while simultaneously not resorting to extreme anti-establishment-style governing. He is looked upon by many Lakewood residents as the mature adult in the room, who puts his personal aspirations second to the needs of the Lakewood community. His stints as mayor in 2013 and 2015 have been very successful, and he deserves another term.
Members of the Committee: We elected you because we believe that you would conform to the will of the people, and that you have it in you to make hard choices when hard choices are necessary. We, the people of Lakewood, now call upon you to please return the Mayoral seat to the majority party, and nominate Isaac Akerman to be Lakewood's Mayor for 2019.
The Mayor will be chosen at a Township meeting held in the municipal building on January 1 at 11 a.m. We will expect an explanation of your choice when the vote is tallied; please don't make a choice that you fill find difficult to justify.
https://www.change.org/p/lakewood-township-committee-make-isaac-akerman-mayor-again
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Weather Alert for Ocean County, NJ
Wind Advisory for Ocean County, From 12:00am EST, Fri Dec 21 until 10:00am EST, Fri Dec 21
Flood Advisory FROM MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT * WIDESPREAD RAINFALL OF 2 TO 3 INCHES, WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. * HEAVY RAIN WILL RESULT IN FLOODING OF ROADWAYS AND AREAS OF POOR DRAINAGE. THERE IS ALSO THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT RIVER FLOODING. THE FLOOD RISK WILL INCREASE WHERE HEAVY RAIN AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS MOVE OVER THE SAME AREA
WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM EST FRIDAY... * WINDS...SOUTHEAST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. * TIMING...LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. * IMPACTS...GUSTY WINDS WILL BLOW AROUND UNSECURED OBJECTS, INCLUDING OUTDOOR DECORATIONS. TREE LIMBS COULD BE BLOWN DOWN AND A FEW POWER OUTAGES MAY RESULT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Flood Advisory FROM MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT * WIDESPREAD RAINFALL OF 2 TO 3 INCHES, WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. * HEAVY RAIN WILL RESULT IN FLOODING OF ROADWAYS AND AREAS OF POOR DRAINAGE. THERE IS ALSO THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT RIVER FLOODING. THE FLOOD RISK WILL INCREASE WHERE HEAVY RAIN AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS MOVE OVER THE SAME AREA
WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM EST FRIDAY... * WINDS...SOUTHEAST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. * TIMING...LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. * IMPACTS...GUSTY WINDS WILL BLOW AROUND UNSECURED OBJECTS, INCLUDING OUTDOOR DECORATIONS. TREE LIMBS COULD BE BLOWN DOWN AND A FEW POWER OUTAGES MAY RESULT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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TVOL: Lakewood may Opt Out of Marijuana Legalization
The Voice of Lakewood reports Lakewood township would likely follow nearby towns by choosing to opt out of NJ state legislation to legalize Marijuana.
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