Thursday January 22 News Updates Lakewood

Weather: High 51° Sunshine and a few afternoon clouds.

NWS has issued a winter storm watch for the entire  region for late Saturday night through Monday afternoon for heavy snow potential of 8 to 18 inches.

AccuWeather's forecasts and NOAA's winter storm briefing snow update on Jan. 22 shows "major confidence" in a huge snow event, with 12 inches of snow and upwards of 16 inches expected expected Sunday in NYC, Philly and NJ, per the NWS

- Paroh in pajamas in the middle of the night Lakewood kindergarten in playgroups  wearing pajamas today to relive yetzias mitzrayim.

- Israel has moved to heightened alert as signs point to an imminent strike on Iran. The Home Front Command is activating the Quiet Wave wartime emergency channel this Shabbos, while U.S. F-15E fighters and C-17 supply aircraft are positioning at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, a potential launch hub.

- President Trump says, “We have a big force going toward Iran… we have a massive fleet heading in that direction.”

- More youtubers in Lakewood this  evening at Clifton  Ave and 10th st.

- Conservative  Bill  O'Reilly announced on January 22, 2026, via his blog that he's temporarily stepping back from media appearances due to an undisclosed "malady." He stated he has great doctors, will "fight the good fight," and expects to return soon while providing updates

-Two 15-year-old boys were arrested for antisemitic vandalism at a Boro Park playground at 18th Ave & 56th st used by Jewish families. The site was defaced twice in 36 hours with dozens of swastikas and pro-Hitler graffiti. The teens face hate crime charges for aggravated harassment and criminal mischief

- New Jersey American Water is seeking regulatory approval for a rate hike that could raise water bills about 12%, adding roughly $18 more per month for the average customer to fund $1.4 billion in infrastructure upgrades.

- Evergreen cancels deliveries for Sunday due to the forecast

- NJ towns face a salt shortage ahead of a major snowstorm, with some municipalities saying supplies are barely enough to treat intersections due to delivery delays from Port Newark.

- Trump: Iran does want to talk, and we'll talk'

US President Donald Trump said that Iran wants to engage in talks, signaling a potential diplomatic opening after heightened tensions

- Rav Nissan Kaplan will be spending shabbos in Lakewood at the Miller road area 

- President Trump says the U.S. is negotiating "total access" to Greenland, saying a "piece" of the Golden Dome will be on the island. "We're getting everything we want at no cost."

- The Lakewood Student Transportation Authority (LSTA) has raised its courtesy busing fee to $385 per child, up from $150 five years ago. In 2022, about 10,000 students paid the fee, generating $2.5 million in revenue. At the same time, LSTA salaries approach $500,000, and reported administrative expenses totaled $1,126,530, about 3.8% of program expenses in 2022. 

Meanwhile, the Township of Lakewood pays about $1.2 million to LSTA to cover courtesy busing for public school students who do not pay a fee, a disparity critics call discriminatory against private school yeshiva students and say township officials have not adequately explained. Although a class-action lawsuit has been discussed, no legal action has been taken.

Mayor Ray Coles has said at a township meeting the arrangement stems from the original approval of LSTA, when the state required the township to cover public school students’ busing, citing safety and public order concerns, including fears that many students would not attend school without transportation.

- Psak Halacha regarding Sick leave: Rav Yitzchak Mordechai Rubin shlita of Khal Bnei Torah in Har Nof ruled that a kollel wife may not take paid sick leave to care for a sick child if her husband, who learns in kollel, is able to stay home instead—unless the employer explicitly allows it beyond the strict law. The husband should care for the children, and the wife should go to work. The reasoning is that employers pay for actual labor, while kollel stipends are not payment for active work. 

- BDE: Petirah of Rav Noach Heisler ZTL who was the Rav of the Sanhedria Hamurchevet neighborhood in Yerushalayim for over 50 years, he was 89. He had a close relationship with Rav Shach and rav Elyashiv Zatzal. 

- Giyus: Israel’s draft law is at a critical point, awaiting approval from Degel HaTorah’s senior rabbis. If they consent, the bill could move through the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee as soon as Tuesday and advance directly to a full Knesset vote.

- A bipartisan New Jersey Senate proposal would let drivers deduct up to $1,000 in E-ZPass toll payments from their state gross income taxes. Any individual taxpayer would qualify if annual toll costs exceed $1,000, regardless of filing status. The deduction would cover tolls paid by the taxpayer or any household member for vehicle use, providing targeted tax relief to frequent toll-road commuters.

- The court in Yerushalayim ordered house arrest with restrictive conditions to the kindergarten teachers in the daycare where two infants died this week Meanwhile, a bereaved mother who lost her baby came during the shiva to testify in favor of the daycare director and the caregivers, claiming they were wronged and are innocent.

- Nearly 100 New Jersey rabbis are urging the New Jersey Governor and the state legislature to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism to fight discrimination against Jews. The state recently rejected a bill to implement the definition. Opponents argue it conflates some anti-Israel speech with antisemitism while still permitting legitimate criticism of Israel. There are no rabbis from the Lakewood area on the list 

- Elon Musk: "My prediction is there'll be more robots than people... everyone on Earth is going to have one and going to want one... who wouldn't want a robot to... watch over your kids, take care of your pets... we are in the most interesting time in history."

- Ami Magazine interviews Specialty Hospital of Central Jersey in Lakewood, A small, integrated “hospital-within-a-hospital” located at Monmouth Medical Center (formerly Kimball Medical Center), its sole focus is caring for chronically ill patients whom most facilities consider incurable.

-Press release:

Eisenbach Campaign: Chapter 192/193 Reform Proves Why Lakewood Needs Strong, Informed Leadership on the School Board

Lakewood, NJ — The recent signing of legislation reforming New Jersey’s Chapter 192/193 nonpublic school auxiliary services program highlights exactly what’s at stake for Lakewood families—and why now is a critical moment to elect leaders who understand the system, the numbers, and the consequences of inaction.

For years, Lakewood has been disproportionately harmed by an outdated funding formula that failed to account for rapid enrollment growth. As a result, millions of dollars intended to support students were left unused—not because the need wasn’t there, but because the system was broken.

In Fiscal Year 2024 alone, New Jersey was forced to return over $15.8 million in unused Chapter 192 funds back to the state. Lakewood accounted for more than $6.6 million of that total—over 40 percent statewide. That represents lost instructional time, fewer services, larger class sizes, and missed opportunities for students who needed support.

The new law, sponsored by Assemblyman Avi Schnall and signed by Governor Phil Murphy, modernizes the funding process by basing allocations on current student data and actual services delivered, rather than outdated projections. It also requires stronger oversight to ensure funds are fully used within the school year—maximizing per-student services without increasing state spending.

“This reform is an important step forward,” said Eli Eisenbach, candidate for Lakewood School Board. “But legislation alone doesn’t solve the problem. Implementation matters. Oversight matters. And making sure Lakewood never again leaves millions of dollars on the table requires school board members who are engaged, informed, and willing to ask tough questions.”

Eisenbach emphasized that Lakewood’s unique size and growth demand leadership that understands both policy and practical execution.

“Lakewood can’t afford passive leadership,” Eisenbach said. “We need board members who track funding in real time, work with administrators, and make sure every eligible student actually receives the services they’re entitled to. That’s why this election matters—right now.”

The Chapter 192/193 reforms take effect in the upcoming school year, making the next school board term especially consequential. Voters will decide whether Lakewood moves forward with proactive leadership—or risks repeating the costly mistakes of the past.

“This moment should be a wake-up call,” Eisenbach added. “Lakewood families deserve better, and with the right leadership, we can make sure these funds finally work the way they were intended—to help students succeed.”

Vote Eli Eisenbach for Lakewood School Board. The stakes are real. The timing is critical. The choice is clear.