Continued: Kudos To Chaveirim, LPD And Chief Lawson

(continued) -while advising the woman to park her car at a local shop. Meanwhile, Captain Mooney immediately contacted Chief Rob Lawson about the ordeal. Chief Lawson immediately agreed to head out to pick up the stranded woman and children. Without further delay, The Chief got into his car and headed out to the I195. He picked up the family and arrived to Lakewood approximately one hour into Shabbos. Chaveirim Emergency Shabbos Hosting Program director Yehuda Tzvi Rotberg would like to thank Chaveirim dispatcher and member Mutty Tress, dispatcher and member Peretz Gershbaum, Chaveirim member Sruly Dorfman, Captain Mooney of the Lakewood Police Department and Chief Rob Lawson for bringing this nightmare to a swift end. (TLS).
(Click here to comment on front page)

continued TLS EXCLUSIVE Chavrei Hakollel Fined Nearly $3,000 By Township

(Continued) the plumbing inspector found some code which stated that the thrift store needed a shower and a slop sink. While this back and forth was going on the Kollel was told by the people involved that a variance can be filed with the township and the store should remain open. However, the township inspector refused to budge and wrote ticket after ticket to the Kollel-to R' Yishai Ghoori-and to the owner of the property, Mr. Seymour Wynmann, who is allowing the Kollel to use the building and just asking the Kollel to cover monthly costs. In fact says R' Ghoori, Mr. Nelson was overheard at the municipal court after he was confronted by him saying "I’m gonna fine that R' Ghoori", which he did. The work was then completed and Mr. Nelson threatened the owner that being that some of the work wasn't done properly he’s going to get the township to reinspect for electric and fail us. While this was happening The Kollel was informed that the township “can’t find” the change of use and a new inspection cannot take place. Eventually after a few thousand dollars of costs, the C/O was filed and the court date to clear up this mess, was set. The Kollel approached some township members and askanim about the situation and was assured that all we be well. Unfortunately that wasn't to be the case. The judge took no interest and refused to entertain the circumstances of the case and fined them $2850. Says R' Ghoori "the most frustrating part about the whole story is, that in a town like Lakewood, its possible for a Moisad-which is a pillar of Chesed in the community-has nowhere and nobody to reach out to to step in and stop it from being harassed by the township". (TLS)
Click here to comment on front page.

Continued Readers' Scoop: Response To Shadchan Crisis

(Continued) We need them. They are here to help, and we need them.You may have had bad experiences. My heart goes out to you. But, don’t paint the all Shadchonim as pushy, uncaring and selfish people. It’s just not true.You have the right to tell a Shadchan that you don’t want to go ahead with a Shidduch. You don’t have to listen to a specific Shadchan whom you feel keeps giving you names that are off target. No one is forcing you to do anything. But please don’t blame Shadchonim for the crisis when they are the very people who helping to solve it. I’d like to take this opportunity to express the Hakoras Hatov that K’lal Yisroel has to the many dedicated Shadchonim. They deserve our greatest respect, and we can’t thank them enough. Hashem should bless them with much nachas from their families and hatzlocha in their efforts to help K’lal Yisroel!!

A TLS Reader

(Click here to comment on front page)

Continued Readers' Scoop: The Shadchan Crisis

(Continued) after another date until they have forced the two to marry each other on a pile of doubts. The “he wears pants and she has a skirt” philosophy in shidduchim is the number one factor for divorces in the frum world. I have become very turned off because of some of the shadchanim I’ve dealt with. I hope the shadchanim of Lakewood are reading this and ask themselves, “how have I caused the shidduch crisis and what can I do to solve it?”

A father.

(Click here to comment on front page)

Continued Reader's Scoop: Shocked And Disgusted

(continued) that would have told this rude person to send us such a hurtful letter. We are going through enough pain every single day and to add this on top just makes it harder. To be honest, I'm so disgusted with the person, and that a town like this can produce people who write such things that I'm seriously considering leaving. Furthermore, Mr./Mrs/ Anonymous should get their facts straight. I don't wear short skirts, and if I wear my skirts any longer I will end up flat on my face. None of my clothes are tight and if they were it's none of your business. Every day I have to listen to peoples insensitive comments but this...this is way to far.

IY"H Mom2B

(click here to comment on front page).

Continued Readers' Scoop: Where Is The Rav Now?

(Continued) Imagine…if someone called a Morah in this town and wished to pull their registered child out of the playgroup for a GOOD reason such as moving to another state or discovery of special needs etc., that parent would be required to find a replacement or pay for the entire year! A Rav would be called to deal appropriately with this hefsed and inconvenience for the Morah. But, a Morah could uninvite a child without engaging the parent in any dialogue or solution seeking conversation, based on phone calls from two mothers who thought this child was aggressive. Is every child easy? Are those the only children we INVITE to our playgroup? Who is going to find an appropriate playgroup for this yiddisher yingele at this late date? The two mothers? The Morah? From the conversation with my friend, it didn’t seem so. Where is the Rav now?
Completely disillusioned,
RB. (Click here to comment on front page).

Continued: Solomon College Comments

(Continued) It is to these people that I hope college becomes an option. Perhaps, college isn’t for them for one reason or another. However, I don’t think it is fair to people who could better their situation in life to not have college on the table. The problems in Lakewood are real and we need real solutions. College isn’t ideal, but neither is a teenage bochur skipping seder to hang out with a girl or do drugs. The “pretend like nothing is wrong” policy and the “sweep it underneath the rug” days of Lakewood are over. That is why I got up and suggested that college be considered an option. If you disagree, I ask that you offer some better suggestions. Click here to comment on front page.

Continued: Solomon’s Journey From Yeshiva To College (Part 1)

(Continued) I went to one of my most trusted Rabbeim who knew me well from my years in Ohr Somayach. I explained the situation to him and he told me that he felt I should stay in yeshiva, but could leave to pursue parnassa if I felt that strong about the issue. I moved to Lakewood where I took a job at Shloimy’s Kosher World, while I was hoping to figure out what I was going to do with myself. College was on the back of my mind, but I still had fears. I was 24 and wouldn’t graduate until I was 28. I didn’t know how I was going to pay for college. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be successful. I had these fears along with a number of other concerns. Nevertheless, my experience at Shloimy’s Kosher World convinced me that college was my only ticket out. In a world of truth a cashier probably deserves the same respect as a lawyer, doctor, accountant, or any other hard working American. However, we live in a world of falsehood. People might not admit it, but many people don’t have a great deal of respect for a cashier. Proof is that not all, but a good number of customers talked to me as if I was less than human. I even discovered that the shadchanim shunned a cashier. I went to a certain shadchan and when I mentioned that I was a cashier at Shloimy’s Kosher World I knew from the expression on his face that he didn’t have a girl for me. Another shadchan was at least honest enough to say, “You can’t support a family with a paycheck from a grocery store.” If you doubt that this is how many people think I challenge you to answer a few questions honestly. Would you marry a cashier? Would you let your child marry a cashier? Would you ever work as a cashier for a long period of time? I didn’t leave yeshiva to be told that I’m worthless or that I don’t make enough money to marry this type or that type of girl. I left yeshiva to make an honest living so that I could support a family. My experience as a cashier at Shloimy’s Kosher World pushed me to overcome my fears. In the fall of 2006 I enrolled in Ocean County College. (Part 2 of this article to be completed at a late time…) (Click here to comment on front page)

Continued: The Unspoken Option-By Avi Solomon

(Continued) Granted, this generalization doesn’t even come close to pin pointing the source for teens at risk and etc… Nevertheless, I do think letting people know that “stay in yeshiva” or bumming around aren’t the only options. College can be a very viable option for people not matzliach in yeshiva, a youngerman who can’t afford kollel life any longer, or a female who wants to make more money to support her husband in learning as long as possible. I have made it a known fact on more than one occasion that I have attended Ocean County College for 3 semesters and am currently enrolled in Rutgers University. Consequently, I can’t tell you how many times people have come up to me and asked how they can get enrolled in college. The reality is that if you have a GED beginning the college process is quite easy. Enrolling in Ocean County College for an AA, to transfer to a 4 year school later, or to become a nurse through their nursing program is quite easy. OCC is like one the yeshivas that will accept anyone. Also, funding your education at OCC is also quite easy. FAFSA alone can pay for your entire education at OCC. Another option is that if you have BTL from BMG or another yeshiva you can apply to Fairly Dickinson, Kean, or Rutgers’ Master Program in accounting. A masters program will usually require you to take out student loans that will need to be paid back later. Finally, if you have a BTL in Talmudic law from BMG or another yeshiva you can take a test known as the LSAT and if you do well you can probably get accepted into a law school. If you and your rabbanim do think that college might be an option for you, now is the time to enroll as a new semester will beginning in September.
(Click here to comment on front page)

Continued: Exxon Station Responds To TLS Readers

(Continued) we observe all the kosher rules, and if there is anything that we need to correct we address it immediately.6-my store is open for inspection for anyone who would like to make sure that we are doing the right things. SUPPORTING the community was a priority since day one, and never refused to donate any money that I can afford, to any cause in Lakewood. as many can testify I donated large amount of money to BETH MEDRARSH GOVOHA, TARYAG MITZVAH PROJECT, local schools and events more than I can even mention here.I personally made lots of friends in the area and keep close contact with them.I gladly accept any comments or suggestions to make my customers(my friends) shopping experience a pleasant and enjoyable one.
ED KASHOUTY( owner and operator).
(Click here to comment on front page)

(Continued) A Mehudar Esrog, A Mehudar Pair Of Teffilen: How About A Mehudar Bank Account? By S. Friedman

(Continued) It is NEWS, perhaps even front-page news. The incarcerated individual will not be referred to as “Joe Shmo from Brooklyn,” but rather as “Beryl Shmeryl, the Religious Jew from such and such Orthodox neighborhood.” Whether we like it or not our actions are reflective of the klal’s, and as such we must be extra vigilant to stay away from any questionable actions. As we have seen, the damage is too detrimental to be indifferent to the potential outcomes of our actions, no matter how remote we may think them to be. How many of the people reading this article are makpid on cholov yisroel? Would you buy a “kosher” piece of meat without recognizing the hashgocha? I do not profess to be a competent poisek, therefore I challenge you, the reader, to ask a Rov (and yourselves) about the following scenarios: • Your wife does babysitting at home, or maybe she’s a sheitel macher, how much, and do you have to report? • You just got into an accident (and B”H everyone is okay!), maybe you should call a Rov first before celebrating your “windfall?” • Thanks to the help of your shver, you’re now eligible to get on HUD. Should you think about the other people still on the list who need to be on HUD? • Maybe “everyone does it” isn’t a good enough reason to pay mezumin to save a little money at a store? Etc… Obviously what I am proposing may be extremely difficult for people to do, and at the same time, perhaps not even necessary (that’s why you should ask a Rov). Change is not supposed to be easy, especially when it entails such a drastic change to our lives. However, I think the events that happened last week were significant enough of a wake up call to obligate an equally profound transformation in response. Proper emunah dictates that if halachicly we are required to spend more money than we are used to, Hash-m will “cover the difference,” and perhaps we will even merit seeing additional brocho. Having just sat on the floor reflecting about the painful galus, it should behoove us to look for more ways to bring about the geula shelaima, and not chas v’shalom, prevent it. Click here to comment on front page.