Watch: “The Phrase I Hear Most: ‘We Can’t Let Jackson Become Lakewood'”

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Mike Davis is a journalist at the Asbury Park Press, covering Lakewood, Jackson Township, and other surrounding areas.

In this exclusive interview with the Jewish News Channel on behalf of Matzav.com, Mike gives his very candid opinion about what he believes is the real motivation behind the recent ban on dormitories and school construction in Jackson Township.

Some of the highlights:
-Why many residents don’t even realize how antisemitic they sound
-What Jackson residents are really afraid of
-Surprising reason why this ordinance may actually backfire and lead to MORE yeshivos being built
-How frum Jackson residents plan to respond
-Several frightening examples of antisemitism near Lakewood and Jackson
And much more…

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}


20 COMMENTS

  1. So what would you say if they just didn’t want overcrowding and fudging with the zoning and overbuilding and making the town unlivable? Is that bigoted? Or do we have to look at the consequences of our own behavior and realize that much of our suburban behavior is undesirable to anyone but Jews and that we’re really not very good neighbors?

  2. no one is denying that there is an anti semitic element in jackson’s disallowing dormitories. humanity has built into it “aisov soneh es yaakov”. we can not change that. however, i don’t believe that this is 100% jackson’s motive–to be anti semitic. they do have a point in not wanting the traffic congestion, and population congestion will also cause more litter in the streets. can one honestly say that lakewooders enjoy having to travel almost one hour for a trip that should take no more than 10 minutes? if jackson would see lakewood take the ‘bull by the horns’, limit construction, widen the streets, not automatically give variances to every builder and developer that comes along, then, perhaps they would be a little more open to have “jackson become lakewood”. we can’t always play the “anti-semite card”. we do not own ocean and monmouth counties. we are only guests and making too many waves will only come back to bite us.

  3. All the jews are leaving Lakewood and moving to Jackson because they don’t like the traffic, congestion, noise, people living on top of each other. so we would non jews want that?
    I think everyone has to stop being so sensitive and realize that Jackson is learning from our mistakes and there is nothing wrong with that.
    this is america

  4. They have a point Lakewood traffic is a horror!! I want to leave Lakewood to surrounding towns and I don’t want the whole Lakewood to follow and I’m from Lakewood!!!

  5. Am I anti-Semitic because I don’t want Lakewood to become Lakewood? Sure there are some residents whose comments have ant-Semitic overtones, but that is not the majority.

    Lakewood has become a complete mess. It has gotten to the point where I do most of my shopping online. It started with clothing and durable goods, then I started buying soaps and toiletries online, now we order our groceries as well.

    10 minutes drives take an hour as Yossi stated, then you may spend another 10 minutes looking for parking. Jackson residents see this, because all the county and State roads that intersect Lakewood are backed up.

    While banning all dormitories is an overreaction, it is not an overreaction based on antisemitism, but it is based on over development and congestion.

    Aside for that, the tax problems that such over development causes. including converting basements into rental apartments, and converting commercial ratables to residential and tax exempt, is real. Real estate taxes in Lakewood have skyrocketed, just imagine what will happen once Christie is gone and the alleged “2% cap” is lifted.

  6. so ban basement rentals..ban townhouses..to ban dorms is missing the point and also the made it almost impossible to have a school there..with almost 2,700 frum kids in jackson that is not to fair..they should have talked to the frum community and asked them for ideas

  7. While it will be better for us in the longer run to play along with the Township population that
    “this ordinance is not against any race or religion.. It’s an ordinance that would preserve our current suburban culture.””

    Any who doubt if anti semitism has become some element of all this, ought to comments’ sections of local Papers

  8. I’m a “foreigner” and I’ve been in traffic in Lakewood.

    Why don’t they eland the streets? It’s insane driving down the 9 at version times of day.

    It’s INSANE.

    People are moving of of lakewood fit this reason. I personally know of a couple of people moving outside Lakewood.

    Way to much congestion.
    Too many cars.
    Too many people.
    Soo much noise.

  9. IT’S DRIVING ME NUTS! Everyone keeps saying that it’s understandable that they don’t want Jackson to become Lakewood and I agree. But for the hundredth time, will someone please explain to me what that has to do with banning ANY dorms ANYWHERE in jackson

  10. And to Jackson mom, I grew up in Lakewood and moved to Jackson and I still don’t understand why we don’t want dorms. (also, I hope you never send your children anywhere with a dorm, because im sure you’re not selfish enough to want dorms-just NIMBY)

  11. I am Irish Catholic, I live in Jackson and all of the hate breaks my heart. I am so sorry for what your community has to go through. It’s horrible, hateful and wrong. I hate that you have to hear and read all of the antiemetic rhetoric.

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