In a meeting held Friday at the home of Harav Malkiel Kotler shlit”a, the Rosh Yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha delivered a powerful message to dozens of rabbanim and roshei chaburah: the upcoming gubernatorial primary election is of critical importance to the Lakewood kehilla and the broader Orthodox Jewish community.
Gathered around the Rosh Yeshiva were leading rabbanim and roshei chaburah, who were urged to rally their respective shuls and chaburos to vote in the upcoming primaries – and particularly the Democratic primary. Rav Malkiel noted that the Lakewood Vaad, with the full backing of the roshei yeshiva, is calling on the tzibbur to cast their vote for Josh Gottheimer in the Democratic primary — the only Democratic candidate in the race with both a realistic path to victory and a longstanding relationship with the Lakewood community.
On the Republican side, Jack Ciattarelli also has close ties with Lakewood, but with President Trump’s endorsement, he has the GOP primary locked up. The Democratic side of the primaries, however, is a wide open race.
Askanim and rabbanim at the meeting echoed the urgency of the moment, pointing to looming federal policy shifts that could significantly affect frum mosdos. Of particular concern is the push to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and shift funding authority to individual states — a move that, in the hands of leaders unfriendly to frum values and needs, could prove devastating for yeshivos and Jewish day schools.
