A prominent yeshiva in Lakewood may buy a defunct golf course in town for a new campus.
According to a statement from the president of the Beth Medrash Gohova yeshiva, the rapidly-growing institution of Talmudic studies is looking to create a new campus in the township’s northeast corner, apart from its main cluster of dormitories and classroom buildings on Lakewood’s busy downtown.
“Beth Medrash Govoha is exploring the possibility of developing a campus at the Woodlake Country Club that could help accommodate future growth without drawing additional commuters up and down the Route 9 corridor that runs through the heart of Lakewood,” Rabbi Aaron Kotler, the yeshiva’s president, said in a statement.
Referring to the school by its initials, Kotler added, “BMG is in the exploratory feasibility stage of this, and is assessing such, and will know within a few months if it makes sense to pursue.”
Rabbi Aaron Kotler, CEO of Beth Madrash Gohova yeshiva, talks about Lakewood’s growing Orthodox population.
A so-called notice of settlement was filed with the Ocean County Clerk’s office on March 26 by the owner of the golf course property, Woodlake Golf, LLC, a subsidiary of the Matrix Development Group based in Monroe, naming BMG as the party that had agreed to buy the property for an undisclosed price.
The rabbi’s statement did not say when the new campus might be built. Matrix principal Donald Epstein did return calls on Tuesday.
With a total of about 6,700 graduate and undergraduate students, Beth Medrash Gohova is said to be the world’s largest Jewish-affiliated university outside of Israel. BMG, founded in 1943 by Kotler’s grandfather, has anchored Lakewood’s rapidly growing Orthodox population.
While that growth has triggered a residential and commercial development boom, providing construction jobs and other economic activity, it has also strained the local finances and led to tensions among some of the area’s more established residents.
Lakewood Mayor Ray Coles welcomed word of the golf course’s sale. Coles said it made sense for BMG to expand in a less densely developed area of the 25-square-mile township, whose population of over 100,000 has more than doubled since the 1990 Census, mostly within the Orthodox community.
“I think it’s a good fit,” Coles said.
Some disagree.
Despite Kotler’s assertion that a new campus would not draw additional commuters on busy Route 9, New Jersey Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel said the impervious surface, traffic, sewage and other ills that would result from replacing overgrown fairways with buildings, parking lots, roads and people would further jeopardize the Pinelands region and pollute Barnagat Bay.
“Unfortunately,” Tittel said, “Lakewood’s turning into a city, and it’s still an environmentally sensitive area.”
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OCC might be the next purchase.
Dennis Cafiero Why would you even say that? It’s a functioning college. This is a defunct golf course. How can you even compare the 2?
Arlene Grossman Gaona some one will try
So they can abuse more kids?? I’m confused…
They should block them to stop building!!!!
Do they need another one? Really!
John Sorrentino Apparently Yes, it is a very popular university. It has growth just like other universities do. What is so surprising?
Is there such a thing as a prominent yeshiva?
Mindy Murray Moich Yes, very much so. Known world wide.
Arlene Grossman Gaona By who?
Arlene Grossman Gaona By who?
Like to know where the money’s coming from!?
Probably from the welfare money they didn’t have to pay back!
And the school funding that every other school lost.
Joyce Burroughs Megill and the real estate taxes they don’t pay
Diane Murphy Sorry, this school is university level. It’s not a elementary or high school , so no
Well public busing is used for adult schooling as well in their community Arlene, why would they just stop there in their crusade to bankrupt America?
Joyce Burroughs Megill well never know. They’re burning all the evidence.
Home of the measles outbreak
Diane Murphy rockland co?
Scott A Barnes also
May…they already did slow pokes
Sickening!!
Another tax free property. Just what they need.
Just what us taxpayers need.
Ugh
That room has got to smell like complete dogshit
Anthony Codispoti like the saying goes, if it looks like dog shit…
Anthony Codispoti
Anthony Codispoti body odor x 100?
Lynn Whitlock facts
All I know is if I’m driving through Lakewood and come to a stop sign and one of them opens my side door, the asks for a ride, I’m going to get pissed
Just hit the gas.
NO Damn it.
Campus ha! You mean drop trailers .
Look at the body language in this photo. Not one person looks happy or excited about learning.
Why is the golf course’s website still up??
Don’t they have like 100? In town
looks fun ?
Fck them
I really hate these people
We all do but when you say it your an anti whatever.They hate us.The shit they do to get people to
Move out of their homes.They don’t want us living by them.
Dorothy Candy fuck them
Why not take over an other piece of property to build another yeshiva.
Isn’t that wet lands?
??
Why do these free loading tax free measles spreading people need another buliding .
What golf course is that?
Bernard Gaffney Lakewood. I think u played there. Woodlake
Marty Gaspich that was the country club I think
They will us a toxic waste dump to build on , why not a golf course
Keep it up NJ
Does anyone else see how much you CAN afford if you just don’t pay taxes?
Why dont they pay taxes??
Bunch of slugs that live like slugs !!!
Save the golf course. This is out of control!
Jesus Christ. Give it a rest.
This group of individuals is out of control! They already took over Lakewood. They are edging into neighborhood communities. I wonder how many current homeowners are going to flee their homes.