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    The Mashgiach, Rav Mattisyahu Solomon, was a man of the masses and a leader of Klal Yisrael. His initiatives shaped not only Lakewood but the Jewish world at large. Recently, I was privileged to interview Rabbi Mordechai Levi, the Mashgiach’s right hand for nearly two decades. My conversation with Rabbi Levi shed light […]

A Portrait of Shaya Schonfeld—Artist, Educator, and Storyteller By Shani Pruzansky A man prowls through the streets of Lakewood like a black cloud. He’s deeply hunched and has a prominent hooknose. He walks around with a scowl, leaving a trail of anger and sadness behind him. He snatches ice cream cones from smiling kids, steals […]

A conversation between bubby and grandson By Jesse Ilan Kornbluth       On Asarah B’Teves, our enemies surrounded the walls of the holy city of Yerushalayim, intent on destroying us. And throughout the centuries, they’ve tried to do the same, again and again and again. Pogroms and persecution. Death and discrimination. Expulsion and extermination. […]

Mrs. Yached Hertzberg’s Fascinating Story of Strength and Survival Shani Pruzansky   One of my earliest memories is of me as a five-year-old sitting in a gorgeous park on Shabbos afternoon. I’m with my friends, and my mother is nearby, watching me. It’s very hot out, and they’re all eating ice cream. It looks delicious, […]

Rav Yaakov Yosef Rotenberg on the lessons of Chanukah   By Reuvain Borchardt   PHOTO CREDIT: JACOB ELBOGEN PHOTOGRAPHY   “From the very first words we say after Al Hanissim, ‘Biymei Matisyahu ben Yochanan Kohen Gadol Chashmonai u’vanav,’ we learn an important lesson in how a Yid should view the world.  “We all know that […]

How a Lakewood rav is proposing to reform the yeshivah and camp schedules   By Reuvain Borchardt       As we’re reminded every summer, Elul is al­ways early or late—it never seems to coop­erate and simply be on time.   An early Elul can cause all sorts of problems with the school and camp […]

By Ruchama Schnaidman       What does your dream home look like? Is it a warm, welcoming space for your family—a sunlit kitchen table, backpacks dropped by the door, and a playroom that rings with laughter? In a dream home, every room is built with intention—soft colors for the teenage girls, playful corners for […]

By Rafael Chapman Everyone has heard of it, the adventurous dream of trying to find it, but only the most determined take action. In honor of Rav Nosson Wachtfogel’s yahrtzeit, we share the full story of the search of the Sambatyon.   The Mashgiach takes the initiative An expedition to discover the long-lost river isn’t […]

Insights into the seminary experience, by Rabbi Ari Mintz   Facilitated by S. Greenspan   Ah, seminary…a significant discussion for a twelfth grader. It’s a journey requiring lots of navigating: applications, interviews, and discerning which school aligns with one’s personal aspirations. It’s exciting and filled with anticipation, yet potentially overwhelming—for the girls and their parents! […]

Votes, Voices, and Burning Issues: Inside New Jersey’s High-Stakes Elections   Isaac Shadpour   All Eyes on New Jersey’s Governor’s Race as Taxes and Affordability Take Center Stage With property taxes among the highest in the nation, electricity rates climbing, and household bills squeezing hardworking New Jerseyans, all eyes are on the upcoming gubernatorial election […]