LETTER: HaRav Ahron Kotler ZT”L would move Lakewood, out of Lakewood

Back in the day when The Rosh Yeshiva R’ Ahron Kotler Zt”l was in Lakewood, there were a few Kollel families that lived here that would eat Lunch and supper in the Yeshiva dining room, while their wives would eat supper with Rebbitzen Rischel Kotler, enabling their husbands to learn for many, many hours without having to spend much money. The Yeshiva was a true Makom Torah where yungerleit would literally learn learn and then learn again. It was pure ‘shivti B’vais Hashem.’

Now, decades later, Lakewood has turned into a luxury town containing high end diners, luxury cuisines, and stunning clothing stores with some even offering payment plans, an indicator that people are extending themselves to keep up with the Shechters and Katz’s.

Of course there are tons of chesed and other incredible organizations. In fact, LNN reported on many incidents where Government officials and local leaders were shocked by the extent of Lakewood’s chessed and may institutions which are about helping one another. A short month ago while campaigning in Lakewood, Governor Murphy expressed his amazement at how many organizations there are in our community all aimed at helping one another.

There is also more Torah being learned today in Lakewood and frankly around the globe than ever before, But the quality is not the same. The pure unadulterated love for Torah with nothing else – is becoming hard to find.
There are many Tesla Yidden giving Shiurim, but we need more Pas B’melech Yidden in Yeshiva apartments. Those people literally keep the world moving.

In the past year I met two people who gave me hope that such people exist.
One such person wants to send his children off to Yeshiva himself. He said ‘We get tremendous Schar for sending our children off to learn, how can I give a driver that Z’chus!.’

Another who also learns in BMG lives in a 3 bedroom apartment with 8 kids. When I asked him if perhaps it’s time to get a job and enable his children to live in a more ‘decent’ house, he flipped at me saying ‘my kids are happier than anyone, we don’t need Sushi, and poppers to be happy. We have true Simcha.’

While this appeared extreme to me, these men were sincere and truly genuine.
Rav Ahron Zt”l would undoubtedly move the real Lakewood out of Lakewood and would perhaps take these two people along.

Chaim Kohn – Lakewood, NJ

LNN welcomes your letters or opinions by emailing to [email protected]

The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of the Lakewood News Network.