Monday November 17 News Updates Lakewood

Weather: 47° A shower is possible early. A mix of clouds and sun. Gusty winds during the morning. Winds at 20 to 30 mph

The highest reported wind gusts yesterday as of 2:30 p.m. was 53 mph in Keansburg in Monmouth County, closely followed by 51 mph in Mantoloking, Ocean County. Toms River was 46 mph ar 12pm

- Ford partners with Amazon for dealers to sell used vehicles online

- Trump said it is "okay with him" to launch attacks against Mexico in order to stop drug trafficking

-Zoharan Mamdani, reaffirmed yesterday in an interview with ABC that he will do whatever he can to enforce the international arrest warrant against PM Netanyahu if he visits New York, even if it is during a visit to the UN General Assembly.

-Giyus: Rav Moshe Sternbuch related in a conversation with the Satmar Rebbe that the government is seeking to draft 50% of yeshiva students into the IDF, and that even some frum Knesset members are entering into agreements on this matter. He added that, unfortunately, there are even talmidei chachamim who support it.

The Satmar Rebbe responded that such a proposal constitutes shmad mamash.

- President Trump says he is planning to sell F-35s to Saudi Arabia

- New Jersey residents are seeing sharp increases in their 2026 health-insurance premiums, with many couples on GetCovered NJ reporting about $500 more per month. The biggest cause is the expiration of enhanced federal tax credits that had kept premiums lower in recent years. Some households, in Lakewood, are experiencing sticker shock and looking into cheaper alternatives like health-share plans.

New Jersey is expanding its New Jersey Health Plan Savings (NJHPS) program to help offset the increases. The state offers $20–$100 per person each month in additional subsidies for households earning up to 600% of the federal poverty level. While these subsidies help, they cannot fully replace the larger federal credits that are ending, so many families will still face higher costs.

- A fund has been established to support the almanah and yesomim of Reb Yisroel Meir Freeman Z”L, who was tragically killed in Monsey yesterday when a tree fell on his car. He was a kollel youngerman who learned in the kollel of Rav Mattis Rokach shlita. Donate here.

- Utility Rate increase: Lakewood Township MUA: The board will vote on a 2% sewer rate increase for both residential and commercial customers at the public meeting on December 2.

Lakewood MUA approved water rate hike for customers by 38%  in 2024 over next 7 years on top of a 15% rate hike the last two years. The commissioners that include Mayor Coles and committeeman Lichtenstein and Wife of Deputy Mayor Menashe Miller received a salary increase from $5k to $15k annually; they are not employees but receive compensation for being a commissioner. 

- Stamar Rebbe Rav Aharon arrived in Eretz Yisroel for a 10-day visit, with the highlight expected to be Shabbos in Meron. The Rebbe made a stopover in Athens, where he stayed overnight and davened at the local Chabad shul before continuing on to Eretz Yisroel. He is scheduled to visit Rav Moshe Shternbuch shlita follopwed by a major kabbalas panim tonight chasidim.

- Tefillos for the Biksad Rebbe shlita of Williamsburg who was hit by a car that lost control as he walked home from shul. He was seriously injured and lost consciousness and rushed to ICU. Name is Yisroel Eliezer ben Sarah Miriam.

- BDE: Petirah of The funeral of Rav Eliyahu Raful zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of ‘Neve Eretz’ in Be’er Yaakov, the levaya was in front of his home at 5 HaRav Hirsch Street in Bnei Brak, with kevura at Ponovezh bais Hachaim 

- Non-checked romaine lettuce in local stores is $10 for a bag of 3 heads The price of romaine lettuce is high due to a combination of factors, including crop loss from pests and viruses, adverse weather conditions, and rising costs for farmers due to inflation, which impact fuel, fertilizer, and labor. 

- White House Chanukah Party May Be Scaled Back Due to Ballroom Construction

Sources tell Belaaz that the guest list is being sharply reduced because of limited space at the White House, caused by the ongoing large-scale construction of a new State Ballroom in the East Wing.

- Ocean county Health Dept: Ocean County’s WIC program, the largest in New Jersey, has seen extraordinary caseload growth from 2017–2025. Its caseload is now larger than the entire state caseload of 12 other WIC programs combined, highlighting the unprecedented scale of its expansion.

- Lakewood High School has shaken up oversight of student attendance after an Asbury Park Press investigation revealed that students were being credited with attendance when they had not shown up for class.

- Lakewood Cheder School has obtained a settlement following a lawsuit in which the school claimed that the solar energy system installed on its property was deteriorating and could need approximately $450,000 in repairs, according to FAA News here

- At last night’s Menucha V’Yeshua gala in Asbury Park for widows of October 7th, Rabbi Meir Kenig surprised Ahron and Hodaya Danino by introducing them to Mayer Fischl, a Lakewood philanthropist who donated an ambulance in memory of their heroic brother, Ori Danino HY”D.

- Assemblyman Avi Schnall shared a belated post -on LinkedIn the first since the election thanking many people: volunteers, supporters, and most of all, the voters who ultimately made it happen. “Many waited in long lines, took time out of busy schedules, arranged babysitters, and took off work just to cast their vote. No words can express my gratitude.

The voters have spoken, and now the job of listening continues. I look forward to the next session and, God willing, many more successes in a comment he was told that being that he is a democrat it is expected of him that Gov Mikie sherril will opt in to the tuition tax credit bill signed by Trump