NEW JERSEY TURNS DOWN PROPOSAL TO BUILD YESHIVA AT NJ TURNPIKE REST AREA

After encountering strong opposition from local groups, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority turned down controversial plan to build a yeshiva at the rest area exit 94 on the NJ Turnpike. The proposed “Yeshivas Bais Grover Cleveland Rest Area of Greater New Jersey” planned to start construction this summer. Plans were drawn to turn an older building, formerly housing a Denny’s, Arby’s, and White Castle, and a Sunglass Kiosk into a 4 story school building. The yeshiva was also willing to keep the Exxon station open in order to accommodate the many drivers in need of re-fueling. Mahmoudhan Abdalahim, the owner of the station was happy with the Yeshiva’s proposal and even promised a few shelves of Cholov Yisroel products for the bachurim.

City of Carteret Board Chair John O’Hara lamented the NJTA vote. “We are quite embarrassed to be the only city in Jersey without a Yeshiva”. He also was quoted as saying that the federal dollars were attractive as a way to curtail the expenditure of local tax dollars no matter what solution is eventually adopted”. We are still trying to understand this too and have sent this statement to our accountant for further review.

This news shocked the Orthodox Jewish world too, being that it is the only 2 mile drive on the NJ Turnpike without a yeshiva. “I am constantly shocked when the steady line of kids hitching by the road drops for those 2 miles”, says Lakewood resident Boruch Falshburg, “then I have no reason to pull over and warn the boys about the dangers of hitching from strangers”. Shelly, a known entrepreneur, and avid raffle seller at New Jersey Yeshivas, was also visibly upset through the windows of his station wagon, “I can’t believe that no one at the rest stop wants to win Mohammed Ali autographed boxing gloves”. Competing yeshivas were obviously not as bothered by the vote. Rabbi Pinchas Dorfman, dean at Yeshiva Gedolah of Port Reading,NJ was satisfied with the rejection “The location was just not appropriate for the growth of Torah in New Jersey” Rabbi Yosef Kremberg of Mesivta of Hackensack agreed, saying, “ They should probably put a Starbucks at that rest area, but a yeshiva?!”