Wednesday January 28 News Updates Lakewood

Weather: 24° cloudy skies very cold.

NWS forecast for motzei shabbos Watching a potential winter storm. Cloudy with light snow developing after midnight. Chance of snow 40%. About one inch of snow is expected.

Update on weekend storm: Both the euro and Canadian models from overnight keep the weekend storm just offshore and a miss. The gfs currently stands alone with bringing it closer to the coast.

- Tonight A car rammed into one of the entrances of 770 Eastern Parkway Chabad Headquarters on Wednesday evening. NYPD and emergency crews are on the scene. No injuries reported driver was arrested on scene.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, joined by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and and NYS Attorney General Tish James, visited 770 Eastern Parkway on Wednesday in the aftermath of a ramming attack on the building of Chabad Headquarters in Crown Heights.

The NYPD is investigating the incident which occurred at around 8:45 PM on Wednesday, as the Shul was packed with bochurim following a video screening event and many who were heading into the Shul for Farbrengens to mark Yud Shevat.

Mayor Mamdani wrote on X:

“I am at 770 Chabad World Headquarters in Crown Heights, where a man intentionally, and repeatedly, crashed his car into the building. I am relieved that no one was injured in this horrifying incident.

-  Trump Shares Clip Questioning Ilhan Omar 'Attack,' Suggests Staged Incident, Highlights Audience Member's Reaction new angle of the so-called Ilhan Omar "attack".

'Watch the nod then the immediate response from the guy in the front row. And after he sprays her with something, she has absolutely no concern about what it could be and continues.

- Bingo sale Salmon $6.99

- The vote on the Knesset’s 2026 state budget passed its first reading late on Wednesday night, after Shas and United Torah Judaism voted fkr for it . A slight majority of 62 MKs out of the 120 voted in favor of the budget proposal, while 55 opposed it. Agudath Yisroel MK voted against it.

-  5pm storm Update: A developing coastal storm is expected to intensify into a strong nor’easter or bomb cyclone this weekend, but its exact track remains uncertain. Northwestern New Jersey is increasingly likely to see little or no snow, while the best chance for snow is in southeastern New Jersey, especially along the coast from Monmouth to Cape May. If the storm hits, impacts would be Saturday night through Sunday, with strong winds and possible coastal flooding.

-  Wall Street Journal: Iran has already rejected the terms of the Trump administration. According to a senior official in the administration, Tehran will not compromise on "its right to continue enriching uranium for civilian purposes and to maintain its missile arsenal, which is essential for its defense"

- The FBI conducted activity at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operations Center in Georgia, allegedly connected to investigations related to the 2020 election.

- Update: The kinus  for avreichim tonight in BMG is to promote harbotzas HaTorah and encouraging Kollel yungelite to move to other cities for Torah learning. Reb Elya Ber Wachtfoigel  wrote a ketter praising those who make this sacrifice, saying it’s vital for the future of Torah. 

- President Trump announces new details on "Trump Accounts" for newborns at the initiative's launch in DC. “Over the next 15 years, we're going to put $3–$4 trillion dollars of wealth into the hands of young Americans who otherwise would have really started out with nothing. It's really an amazing thing.”

- An Atzeres Chizuk for Bnei Torah will take place this evening at 7:15 p.m. at Beth Medrash Govoh, Ateres Esther hall in the Herzka building, downstairs. Divrei chizuk will be delivered by the Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Yisroel Neuman shlita, followed by a drasha by Harav Elya Chaim Swerdloff, Rosh Yeshivas Paterson, focusing on the role and mission of a Ben Torah in today’s times.

- The Lakewood Board of Education plans to approve up to $115,000 in taxpayer funds to fight a proposed state takeover of the financially troubled school district. The board is also set to authorize an additional $20,000 to defend Superintendent Laura Winters in an ongoing discrimination lawsuit filed by an assistant principal alleging denial of promotions based on race and age. APP

- Snow continues to pile up along township roads, leaving many streets reduced to a single drivable lane. Patches of ice remain on numerous roadways as temperatures stay below freezing. In previous storms, township crews used tractors to cart snow away, but that has not appeared to happen this time. Instead, snow is repeatedly pushed back and forth as residents clear parking spots, with shoveled snow often ending up blocking driveways again.

- Giyus: Two frum parties in Netanyahu’s coalition Degel HaTorah and Shas are expected to back the 2026 state budget in its first reading, allowing it to move forward after a two-day delay caused by disputes over a Charedi draft law. A Degel HaTorah spokesman said support is “the direction” things are heading, but stressed that no final decision has been made. The party’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Dov Lando, is still deliberating and will decide only after a meeting with Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chair Boaz Bismuth about the conscription bill.

- The former Elks Lodge building on West Kennedy Boulevard is now the subject of an application to operate a school, with the applicant listed as Skver of Lakewood.

-- Vaccination rates among New Jersey children continue to decline as religious exemptions rise, raising concerns among public health experts about a possible resurgence of vaccine-preventable illnesses. According to the state Department of Health, 24,962 children were exempted from vaccines for religious reasons in the 2024–25 school year a nearly 25% increase from the prior year. While this represents only 5% of all pre-K, kindergarten, first grade, sixth grade, and transfer students, it is almost three times higher than a decade ago. Ocean County leads with 3,773 exemptions (10.5%), followed by Monmouth County with 3,000 exemptions (9.1%).

- TAG will hold an asifa for women in Lakewood on Wednesday, February 4, at Lakewood Middle School. Speakers will include Rav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, Rav Dovid Bresslauer, and Rav Malkiel Kotler, and the program will focus on issues related to AI.

- President Trump just released this statement regarding the USS Abraham Lincoln strike fleet and Iran: "A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully Iran will quickly “Come to the Table” and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was “Operation Midnight Hammer,” a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

- A petition effort to recall Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick has failed after organizers fell short of the required signatures. The group collected 16,963 valid signatures by the Jan. 26 deadline, below the 18,464 needed to trigger a special recall election. Rodrick criticized the failed recall attempt and compared himself to former President Donald Trump.

- Trump: Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, “Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws.” This is after having had a very good conversation with him. Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!

- The Chief Rabbinate of Israel has issued a serious kashrus warning after discovering major failures in nikkur on frozen beef imported from Paraguay. As a result, issurei cheilev were found in popular asado cuts that were sold as kosher. The problem appears to span multiple shechita and production seasons over roughly two years, meaning large quantities may already be in private homes, butcher shops, and institutional kitchens. Consumers are urged to check the origin of their meat and follow Rabbanut guidance immediately.