Thursday November 27 News Updates Lakewood

 Weather: 46° overcast during the afternoon Winds15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Tonight cold low of 30°

- President Trump announces 20-year-old West Virginia National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom has passed away from her injuries after allegedly being shot by an Afghan illegal alien in Washington, D.C. 

- A two-car crash at Clifton Avenue and Main Street in Lakewood sent both vehicles onto the sidewalk, with one skidding on its side into the storefront of Town Appliance. Emergency crews responded quickly, and no serious injuries were reported. The driver who caused the crash was identified as a  27 year old suspect wanted in the state of  Maine for a bank robbery yesterday and was arrested at the scene by Lakewood police.

- The new version of the giyus  legislation is likely to face a significant challenge before the High Court, which struck down the previous law in 2017 and last year ordered the government to begin drafting charedi men into the IDF

- The ultra-Orthodox parties United Torah Judaism and Shas announce they will resume voting with the coalition, after boycotting government votes over the issue of drafting  Charedim to the IDF

- Rav Mottel Dick shlita R"Y Heichal Eliyohu in Monsey will deliver a shiur pesicha on maseches Yevamos at Kollel Mechanchim in Khal Brookwood 21 Louisiana Prkwy Jackson  5:45 pm

- Expect heavy gridlock traffic in Lakewood this afternoon, as many schools will be dismissing early beginning at 2:30 PM, leading to increased pickup congestion.

- Several girls’ schools are closed today due to a lack of available busing. Instead of a regular school day, the schools have designated it as an in-service day for staff. Schools affected include Bais Faiga, Bnos Rivka Rochel, and others.

- Thanksgiving Day Store Hours:

Closed: Aldi, BJ’s, Costco, Lidl, Sam’s Club, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walmart.

Open (hours vary): Starbucks, ShopRite.

-Kashrus PSA: Burman’s Ketchup (Aldi brand) now once again carries OU certification at some locations after it was briefly removed for a few weeks. (It may be new or perhaps leftover from old run)

As always, it’s important to check each product’s label, since hashgacha status can change without notice. 

- Thanksgiving and Black Friday sales have begun in many Lakewood-area clothing and specialty stores, with discounts of up to 50% off and various BOGO offers now available

- School placement vaad: Attention Lakewood parents applying for primary for Sep 2026 if you were not accepted yet into school call the school placement Vaad. For Boys call 732-440-8234 732-945-4992 or email lkwdschools@gmail.com for Girls call 732-945-4992 or email byplacement@gmail.com due to to anticipated shortfall for this coming year it is advised to reach out asap. 

- A special Thanksgiving Day learning program will be held at Bais Medrash Kol Chaim, 618 Carranette. The program will feature shiurim delivered by Rav Yehoshua Abba Busel and Rav Uri Deutsch.

- The Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aaron, departed Eretz Yisrael today after a 10-day trip. The Rebbe flew to Athens, and following a brief stopover, is now on his way back to Newark Airport via Emirates Airlines.

- Giyus: Chacham Tzion Buaron Shlita spoke out strongly against the developing draft bill, criticizing Shas and Degel Knesset members for “selling out” weaker Sephardi bochurim. He warned that several Sephardi yeshivos may close, while others could see enrollment drop by 50%. He noted that Ashkenazi yeshivos are stronger and unlikely to face drafting issues, whereas many weaker Sephardi boys lack strong family support, coming from more traditional backgrounds.

- Giyus: Prime Minister’s Office personnel  claim

The draft conscription law presented today  something that has not been done since the founding of the state  will lead to the enlistment of about 23,000 Haredim within three and a half years; four times the average until now and four times the targets set in the original Liberman-Gantz law. The law combines sanctions and strict restrictions for failing to meet the targets. This is an excellent law, and this law will pass.(Amit Segal)

- DC National Guard Shooting Update:

The shooter drove from Washington State to Washington, D.C., to intentionally carry out this heinous act.

National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom (20) and Andrew Wolfe (24) remain in critical condition after being shot near the White House. Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who served 10 years in the Afghan Army alongside U.S. Special Forces, was admitted to the U.S. under Biden (2021) and approved under Trump (2025). A relative says he has a wife and five sons but is unsure of his motives. 500 more National Guard members will be deployed. FBI and CIA confirm Lakanwal had prior ties with U.S. partner forces.

- On Wednesday, Shas and United Torah Judaism submitted a formal complaint to the Israel Police against a senior member of the Peleg Yerushalmi, accusing him of incitement to murder and calls for violence following extreme remarks broadcast on the faction’s telephone information lines.

The recordings, heard by thousands of callers, compared chareidi public representatives to Nazis and appeared to encourage harm. Among the statements cited was:"If we had today the Sanhedrin of old, they wouldn’t just be protesting outside the homes of those so-called shluchei derabbanan. They would simply burn them with fire."

In response, the Peleg Yerushalmi individual  told Kan Moreshes: "I do not apologize  I did not threaten. If the ultra-Orthodox Knesset members advance a law that allows forcibly drafting someone into the army and turning him secular, then yes, the Sanhedrin would likely have judged them to be burned."

- Last night the Vizhnitz rebbe of Bnei Brak celebrated the wedding of a grandchild in New Square.

Satmar rebbe heads back to the US from EY