Thursday February 26 News Updates Lakewood

 Weather: 46° Partly cloudy during the afternoon.

The storm for next week as of now will miss the area 

Forecast next week: 

Sunday 41° Rain or snow showers in the morning Chance of rain 30%

Monday Taani Esther 30° Scattered flurries and snow showers. Chance of snow 30%. About one inch of snow expected

Purim night low 21° Scattered snow flurries and snow showers before midnight. Chance of snow 30%.

Tuesday Purim day 38° A mix of clouds and sun followed by rain at night 

- Giyus: IDF Military Police arrested a bochur  who is a chosson  and learning in yeshivas Wolfson.

- Lakewood philanthropist Dr. Rich Roberts interview with the JTA Jewish telegraphic Agency. He invited YouTuber Tyler Oliveira to meet after noticing he had acknowledged Kiryas Joel’s volunteer emergency services, hoping he was open to hearing accurate information about the Orthodox community. After a three-hour interview, Roberts said Oliveira still produced a biased “hit piece” that misrepresented Lakewood and fueled antisemitic narratives, though Roberts plans to release the full recorded interview to show the community’s perspective. Even after everything, however, Roberts said he stops short of labeling Oliveira an antisemite. He describes him instead as “a provocateur who wants to get clicks.” “He should rightfully know that he’s going to give fodder to vicious, bigoted, racist antisemites,” Roberts said. “But I don’t think that he’s focused on antisemitism in his own belief system. The video hit more than 2.3 million  views.

- After the NYPD made an arrest for throwing snowballs at police officers Manhattan DA drops assault charge against the suspect for his role in assaulting an officer during the massive Washington Square Park snowball fight

- Hillary Clinton: “I never met Jeffrey Epstein, never had any connection or communication with him.”“I knew Ghislaine Maxwell casually as an acquaintance, but whatever they asked me, I did my very best to respond.”

- Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani: I had a productive meeting with President Trump this afternoon. I’m looking forward to building more housing in New York City.

-  The Pakistan Air Force has bombed the Taliban’s headquarters in Kabul, with reports claiming top Taliban leaders and around 200 militants have been killed.

- Witkoff and Kushner reported no Iranian flexibility on uranium enrichment or other core issues. They expressed disappointment with Tehran's stance and questioned the value of continuing talks Israel Hayom

- WSJ: The talks in Geneva ended with significant gaps remaining between the parties on key issues. In the evening talks, Witkoff and Kushner reiterated the demand that Tehran dismantle the three nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, and transfer all enriched uranium in its possession to the United States. The demand for an agreement without a time limit also came up in the evening talks.

- A senior Iranian official told Al Jazeera:

“The U.S. position in the latest Geneva negotiations has become closer to the reality on the ground. Technical talks have effectively begun, and the atmosphere with the American side has been positive. The chances of successful negotiations with Washington are high, as long as those pushing for escalation and war do not sabotage them.”

- The Multi Volume Sefer Mesores Moshe, Halachos and hanhagos of Rav Moshe Feinstein ZTL is Now Available in English in Time for Rav Moshe’s 40th Yahrtzeit this taanis Esther 

 - The Omani mediator in the US-Iran talks announces: today's negotiations have ended - there is significant progress. Technical-level discussions will take place next week in Vienna.

- A well-informed source to N12: "Witkoff and Kushner were disappointed by what the Iranians presented this morning."

-New York Times: The two main options Trump is considering - an attack only against nuclear and missile sites or a broad attack that includes an attempt to overthrow the regime

-New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill says the state is facing a "serious structural deficit," and is expected to be around $3 billion for the upcoming Fiscal Year. However, she will not "raise taxes on New Jerseyans," saying there will be other difficult choices.

- Lakewood Township crews worked through the night operating tractors and heavy equipment to clear snow from sidewalks and street corners throughout town ahead of Purim, when thousands of pedestrians are expected to be walking in the streets. With temperatures now rising, the accumulated snowpack is expected to begin melting over the coming days, helping improve walking and travel conditions.

- Most girls’ schools will have a half-day for Taanis Esther. Some schools will be closed from Monday through Shushan Purim, resuming classes on Thursday of next week.

-Last night the The Lakewood BOE efforts to sell the former Ella G. Clarke School for $35 million, have fallen short with just one bid for about $19 million APP reports After rejecting that bid, which was submitted on Feb. 12, the district has issued another RFP - Request for Proposal - with a lower minimum bid of $30 million and set a new submission date of March 4. At the last meeting several residents from te Ridge neighborhood spoke up and asked that the board not sell to a developer but to keep it as a school as there is no room for traffic in the area 

- The US aircraft carrier “Ford,” the largest in the world, is moving toward Chaifa from the area of Greece a U.S. official confirmed to Reuters.

- An Iranian senior official rejects US demands in an Al Jazeera interview: We completely reject dismantling nuclear facilities, handing over uranium stockpiles, and the principle of zero enrichment forever

-A senior Iranian official told Reuters: New ideas were raised during the negotiations that require consultation with Tehran. There are still gaps. Reaching a deal is possible if the United States seriously separates the nuclear issue from other matters.(Amit Segal) 

- The third round of talks between the US and Iran is set to begin this morning, as Secretary of State Rubio warns there will be a “big problem” if Iran refuses to negotiate.

- Senior aides to Donald Trump are reportedly considering the possibility that Israel could strike Iran before direct U.S. involvement, according to Politico. Officials believe an Israeli strike followed by Iranian retaliation could increase American public support for later U.S. military action.

- Giyus: The proposed draft law remains stalled, as chareidi parties say a recently submitted preliminary proposal lacks sufficient basis to resume negotiations.Major disputes including canceling tens of thousands of draft orders already issued and lowering the exemption age continue to keep talks at a standstill

- New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill was booed by fans Wednesday night at a New Jersey Devils game at the Prudential Center.as she attended a ceremonial puck drop welcoming Olympic player Jack Hughes back to NHL play following his gold-medal win with Team USA.

- A Emerson College poll, released Thursday, found that Democrats have an 8-point advantage over Republicans on the generic congressional ballot. The poll showed that 50% of voters said they would support the Democratic candidate, while 42% said they would back the Republican.

- New Jersey State Police units are positioned along Route 9 conducting Department of Transportation (DOT) inspections of larger commercial vehicles.

- Rav Moshe shternbuch personality issued a machah after some people hung effigyies in meah shearim with the names of gedolei yisrael instead of the usual Haman 

הנני מוחה בתוקף על השחוק במאה שערים שנעשה לבזות תלמידי חכמים, ואין גבול לגודל החטא והחומר שיש בזה רחמנא ליצלן, אבל החטא נורא ואיום, ואני לא יכול לשתוק על ביזיון כזה אפילו רגע אחד"

I hereby strongly protest the mockery in Meah Shearim that was carried out to disgrace Torah scholars. There is no limit to the severity and gravity of this sin, Rachmana litzlan. The wrongdoing is dreadful and terrifying, and I cannot remain silent over such a disgrace even for a single moment.”

- Nick Shirley responded to criticism from Laura Loomer about his support to expose fraud on orthodox jews with no facts. He Rejected claims that he is antisemitic and stating that his comments were aimed solely at exposing fraud, not targeting Jews. He said his intention was to oppose welfare fraud broadly and argued that Tyler Oliveira’s video was meant to spark discussion about how the welfare system functions, not promote hatred.

Loomer responded to him "Expose fraud all you want. Everyone supports exposing frauds.But don’t say US citizens are “invaders” and use an AI photo to rage bait people online. The GOP is becoming overrun with such bad actors and our leaders are silent. It’s not a fun time to be a Republican, at all!" she continued 90% of Orthodox Jews voted GOP in New Jersey and worked hard to support President Trump and his endorsed candidate for Governor.

Now the party has ruined it all. They just suppressed their own vote ahead of the 2026 midterms because they can’t seem to find any moral clarity.

- Manchester man killed in four-vehicle crash on Route 70 - A crash on Route 70 at the Beckerville Road intersection. involving three SUVs and a fourth vehicle left one man dead and another injured, police said. A 33-year-old woman and a 4-year-old girl in one of the SUVs escaped injury. 

- Howell: A 21-year-old Berkeley Township woman was seriously injured on Feb. 24 when she lost control of her sport-utility vehicle on the I-195 overpass and landed below on Route 9, police said.

- Jexit usa that fights antisemitism "Criticism was directed at Nick Shirley for supporting a YouTuber’s claims about Lakewood’s Hasidic community without proper research, calling it propaganda rather than journalism. The statement argues that isolated fraud cases from 2017 do not represent the tens of thousands of law-abiding residents, and warns that misrepresentation fuels antisemitism and puts the community at risk, urging a public correction and apology.

-Awsome jew on X:  There is a huge difference between Somalian businesses falsifying documents for daycare centers hosting ZERO children in daycare vs Jewish Americans who have 10 children and work $70k a year and apply for government assistance to help get through hard times. These are not the same Conversation

- Mr. Joel M. Petlin the superintendent of Korean Joel schools responds to the videos about Monroe and Lakewood communities 

I have no problem with actual reporters coming to Kiryas Joel, and I regularly speak with them. I've worked with authors, filmmakers, grad students doing research, and cadets from West Point. Those who come in good faith - without a hateful agenda - have always been welcomed into the Hasidic Jewish community.

That's not what Tyler Oliveira did on his visits to Kiryas Joel, Monsey and Lakewood. He showed up on the streets with a microphone, a camera and a clear agenda. He wasn't there to "just ask questions." He showed up to embarrass random people on the streets, to mock them and insinuate that they are doing the wrong thing and committing fraud. "Gotcha journalism" at its worst.

The Jews filmed in Kiryas Joel, Monsey and Lakewood are American citizens, who live, work and study there. These are law abiding residents who were harassed for no other reason than their religion and culture. Every community has detractors, but Tyler makes them a focal point, ignoring or twisting the many positives that exist in tight knit communities.

There was no "invasion" as Tyler insultingly describes it in Kiryas Joel and Lakewood. These are American Jews who choose to live in communities among people who share their values. That's not a crime. It's an economic and demographic reality. In fact, the majority of Jews living in Orange County NY, Rockland County NY, and Ocean County NJ were born there, often over multiple generations.

There is no "blockbusting" here and no one is forced to move out. Homes surrounding these Jewish areas are all voluntarilly sold ABOVE market value, allowing homeowners to take their profit and move to a community of their choosing. Demographic change is as old as America. Let's not pretend that this is a Jewish issue.

Yes, these towns have high birthrates, as Jews try to replace the generation lost in the Holocaust. And yes, those who qualify for government benefits can choose to receive them. But remember, these same people who Tyler mocks for "having children they can't afford," are funding a public school system that their children don't use, because except for special needs pupils, their children attend privately funded religious schools. Yes, Tyler, their taxpayer dollars are used for the benefit of others.

Most significantly, Tyler hasn't uncovered any fraud in these Jewish communities, though his loyal fans seem to think so. All he did was shine a spotlight on people who dress differently, pray differently and think differently than he does. That's not a crime. That's the freedom that this country was built on.

Paradoxically, Tyler accuse the Jews of being too poor in Kiryas Joel and too powerful in Lakewood. But what he really missed was the beauty in all these Jewish towns. Their charity, their volunteerism, their dedication to the less fortunate, and their commitment to living a life of morals and values. It's a shame Tyler edited most of that out from his drive-by hit pieces.

We have always had detractors, and now we have one with a YouTube channel. Yet despite the noise, with G-ds help, Jewish communities in America will continue to grow and thrive.