Lakewood, NJ – For a man who had lived here only one year, Bill Hobday felt remarkably secure as a candidate for Township Committee in early 2002. He already had Republican Party backing and faced no opponent in the June primary.
The only matter left was a meeting … a courtesy, he thought … with local Orthodox Jewish leaders who called themselves the Vaad.
Hobday wasn’t prepared for what followed. Within a week of that interview, the Vaad issued a newsletter telling the Jewish community to write in another candidate’s name on Election Day, that of 28-year-old Air Force chaplain Menashe Miller. The bulletin was headlined, “We MUST Knock Out Bill Hobday!!!’‘
Five days later, 3,732 ballots were cast for Miller, defeating Hobday by a 60 percent margin. It was one of only a handful of times in Ocean County history that a write-in challenger ousted an official candidate in a municipal election.
“I was unfamiliar with the power structure here,’’ said Hobday, now 68. “It was a terrible shock to us.’‘
Scroll forward eight years to 2010, and it’s the Vaad that’s now experiencing a jolt … one so intense a local official likened it to an “Orthodox Tea Party’’ backlash.
Known as a potent political force able to steer entire voting blocs, this body of rabbis, businessmen and government liaisons was unable in recent months to muster enough Orthodox community support for its most established darling.
In this bubble of rigid customs and clear hierarchies, a consensus has formed that the grip of the old order is slipping as technology and new thinking take hold.
It is struggling, they say, to keep up with an expanding Orthodox population as fresh voices speak out and the economy shifts personal priorities.
“We’re at a point where the community has minds of its own and does not just follow recommendations without understanding them,’’ Vaad member Avrohom Moshe Muller said. “It puts us in a different position.’‘
Some Lakewood leaders argue that a splintered Orthodox constituency may hurt the town’s influence at the state level. Others see the diminished leadership role as a healthy swing toward an open political system.
(Read More: Asbury Park Press)
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14 Responses
The vaad is over!!! 🙂
“We’re at a point where the community has minds of its own” I’m not sure if I’m flattered or insulted.
this article proves that we made a kiddush hashem by not supporting the vaad
Many in Lakewood feel that the VAAD (BMG),is only out for their best interests and not necessarily for the klall (the taxpayers)that is why they have a mind of their own.They want a candidate who will get the taxes to go down considerably as well as other services.
A few months ago, I came out in the morning to find that someone had overnight smashed my car windows. After filing a report, one of my neighbors suggested to me that perhaps I should call the Vaad – maybe they could help me. I told him that I had already called them – he asked me what did they say? I told him they said they didn’t do it!
What is Lakewood coming to? People are thinking for themselves? We can’t have this happening!!
I don’t think the description “tea party” is used enough these days
Its good to know that our brothers in Lakewood have a mind of their own.
How good can it be for the communitty if politicians think everyone will do what they want and there isnt a bloc.
It’s a pity because our greatest power is our unity. We need a Vaad that is representative of the broad spectrum of yidden in Lakewood.
The problem with many organizations like the Vaad is that they publish lists of who to vote for instead of booklets explaining why they’ve endorsed certain candidates.
We need unity and vote as a block, but it doesn’t mean we need the Vaad. The good old days when we had strong Gedolim, are good OLD day.
Balabusta
Once the Vaad becomes defunct, I’m sure a new Vaad will be formed, one that has the best interests of the people at heart.
the VAAD is %100 CORRUPT & thats the problem
THIS IS WHAT CORRUPTION IS ALL ABOUT, a Politician or askin etc… thinks he is just doing his job as a Politician or askin but in reality he knows that he is falling into corruption, & has the power to stop it but doesn’t (say its allowed or it can be done) & thats the yetzer hara that convinces him that he’s not doing anything wrong. its my job to be in power in politics… therefore i can tell them not to do it even though they are really allowed to & THATS CORRUPTION. & THATS WHEN THEY START TO BRING THEMSELVES DOWN & CAUSE THEMSELVES DESTRUCTION R”L hold yourself in as they continue going down one by one UNLESS THEY ERASE CORRUPTION FROM THEY’RE WAY OF LIFE & RETURN TO HONESTY…
that is what happens with corruption. the person thinks i’m with talmidei chachomim i can never be corrupt & then hes in the ball game with them & brings HIMSELF down to destruction “CORRUPTION BRINGS A PERSON TO DESTRUCTION”
If it doesn’t stop now they’re all going to bring destruction upon themselves R”L & a big Chillul Hashem. a person can never do teshuva for a chillul Hashem.