weather: 63° Sun and clouds mixed.
- New York state will opt in to the Federal School Choice Tax Credit that was passed earlier this year in the big beautiful bill signed by President Trump.
New Jersey yet to anounce.
Governor Kathy Hochul told a meeting of Agudah representative today that New York will opt into the federal Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), that will provide $5 billion annually in K-12 scholarships nationwide.
Beginning in 2027, donors in every state that opts in can receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit for contributions to nonprofit scholarship organizations SGO, which will then distribute K-12 scholarships to eligible students.
The maximum contribution per taxpayer is capped at $1,700, but the program carries no overall national cap allowing communities to raise scholarship funds from taxpayers across the country.
-Reporter: Are you considering going back to Project Freedom now that gas prices are more than $4.50?
Trump: No. Gas prices have come down today. Have you looked? They came down very substantially today. Gas prices are way down, and the stock market is way up today.
- An opinion article in Jpost highlights growing financial pressure on America’s Orthodox Jewish middle class,The death of the US Jewish Orthodox middle class
Why $400,000 a year isn’t enough and what our community must do about it. Families earning $300,000–$500,000 annually are struggling in major frum communities. Rising housing prices, yeshiva tuition, kosher food, healthcare, and the costs of raising large families were cited as major burdens. Many families reportedly earn too much to qualify for assistance programs, yet still face significant financial strain, with some relying on loans, savings, or outside support to manage expenses. The report calls for stronger financial planning, business development, and long-term community economic strategies to help stabilize the Orthodox middle class.
- The U.S. government will begin revoking passports of parents who owe $100,000 or more in unpaid child support and plans to soon expand enforcement to those owing as little as $2,500, according to AP.
- Gedolim to rule on Giyus bill: Members of Degel HaTorah in the Knesset reportedly met today at the home of Rav Dov Landau shlita to discuss a potential go-ahead on the conscription law. According to reports, Rav Landau told them: “A final decision on the conscription law will be made in a few days, possibly at the beginning of next week.”
- 7-Eleven is offering fuel savings for Rewards members: 50¢ off per gallon on the 7th and 11th of each month through July 11th (text ALLIN to 711711), plus 11¢ off per gallon on your first 7 fuel-ups with Fuel Rewards. Stacking offers may increase total savings at the pump.
- Deadline to register for the primary elections is May 12 the elections will take place on Tuesday June, 2.
- Yahrzeit seuda and siyum mishnayos in Memory of Rav Zalman Leib Gruber ZTL at his shul B"M Zichron Yoel 1013 Lawrence Ave Lakewood Maariv 9:10 Birchas Hamazon 10:45pm.
- WSJ: President Trump’s advisers are worried that the GOP will pay a political price for high fuel costs. Many of those advisers are eager to end the war, hoping prices will begin to fall before the midterm elections.
- Giyus: Protests are taking place today at the entrance to Yerushalayim following the arrests of yeshiva bochurim for draft dodging. Police responded with force and water cannons.
- Adirei HaTorah tickets have officially sold out including obstructe view seats.
Finding a larger venue is challenging due to the FIFA World Cup coming to New Jersey this June and July, with many area stadiums already booked for team practices and related events.
- Submitted: The claim that “Lakewood has a traffic fatality rate of 7.76 per 100k” is based on the WRONG population data. They used the population of the “Lakewood CDP” (about 69k people) instead of all of Lakewood Township (about 139k people).Real numbers:
• 27 fatalities over 5 years = 5.4 per year
• Actual Lakewood fatality rate = 3.9 per 100k
• NJ average = 6.79 per 100k
That means Lakewood is actually about 42% SAFER than the NJ average. Bad data created a false narrative. The original claim dramatically overstated Lakewood’s fatality rate by using the wrong population data. In reality, Lakewood is statistically safer than the statewide average.
- TAX dollars: The Lakewood Development Corporation is requesting UEZ funding of $2 million dollars for snow removal equipment for the Township’s Public Works Department. The equipment is intended to improve winter storm response by increasing snow removal efficiency and enabling on-site snow melting in the UEZ. The machine is capable of melting approximately 80 tons of snow per hour
- A elementary boys yeshiva in Lakewood sent notice to parents reminding them that fade/step-style haircuts or any similar modern styles considered Chukas Hagoyim are not permitted. Children arriving with such haircuts will be sent home to get them fixed.Parents are urged to clearly instruct the barber beforehand. Additionally, it references Halacha prohibiting cutting the peyos too short the hair must remain long enough to bend and touch its root. known as Lakuf Roisho L'ikro based on the Rambam and Minchas Yitzchok.
- Lakewood Rosh Yeshiva Rav Malkiel Kotler shlita will be traveling next week to South America on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah A delegation of leading Gedolei Yisroel, including Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rav Yaakov Hillel, Rav Shimon Galai, Rav Avraham Salim, and Rav Yosef Chevroni, are set to travel to South America on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah. The mission begins Motzaei Shabbos, with travel via Paris en route to Brazil, arriving in São Paulo on Sunday. They will later be joined by Rav Malkiel Kotler and additional U.S. board members.
The trip includes a packed schedule in Brazil and Argentina focused on fundraising and community engagement.
- NJ Transit has agreed to lower the price of their roundtrip ticket for the upcoming FIFA World Cup at New Jersey's MetLife stadium to $105 - down from the $150 they announced last month,
- Israel justice Minister Yariv Levin says that if the two hardline conservative academics he wants appointed to the Supreme Court do not get appointed, he will let the court “disappear” by refusing to make any new appointments to the top court at all.
- Trump: “This lunatic, Hakeem “Low IQ” Jeffries, should be charged with INCITING VIOLENCE! The Radical Left Democrats actually want to Destroy our Country. President DJT”
- BDE: Petirah of Rebbetzin Meirah Edelstein A"H the alman Of Rav Yaakov Eidelstein Zatzal the Rav in Tel Aviv. Levaya took place in Bnei Brak on the way to Yerushalayim.
- Lakewood, NJ has been awarded more than $170,000 by the state Department of Environmental Protection under the annual New Jersey Clean Communities grants program. The grants, target littering and keeping communities clean throughout the state Toms River was awarded $270,000
- The World Health Organization is trying to ease global concerns about the recent hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, drawing comparisons to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove clarifies that the newly identified hantavirus is vastly different from the coronavirus: "This is not coronavirus, this is a very different virus, we know this virus. Hantaviruses have been around for quite a while... This is not the start of a COVID pandemic, this is an outbreak that we see on a ship, there’s a confined area, we have 5 confirmed cases so far."