Why aren’t more couples willing to move out of town?
A few weeks ago, among the potpourri of flyers constantly circulating through Lakewood, advertising anything from a tzedakah parlor meeting to a new store’s grand opening, one sign raised eyebrows. Announcing an event at Beis Medrash Govoha (BMG) to promote awareness and information about out-of-town kollelim, at first glance, it seemed counterintuitive. Which successful institution actively prods its students to leave and build other ones? But to those familiar with Lakewood history, this isn’t a new trend so much as a deep-rooted idea from the days of Rav Shneur Kotler and Rav Nosson Wachtfogel, which is now in the spotlight again.
The event, which was attended by Rosh Yeshivah Rav Yisroel Neuman, and whose keynote address was delivered by the Paterson rosh yeshivah, Rav Elya Chaim Swerdloff, attracted singular interest. It garnered a staggering 8,000 listens on the Chayeinu phone line, with thousands more viewing it online — off-the-charts numbers for typical shiurim posted on these platforms. And this surge of interest wasn’t a fluke; a similar event was held last year featuring Rav Yehoshua Abba Busel, one of the most prominent roshei chaburah in BMG. While the vast majority of the yeshivah remains firmly rooted in Lakewood, the salience of these speakers — and the thousands who tuned in — suggests that more than just individual events, these evenings are indicative of a phenomenon, and a growing willingness to hear about life beyond the local borders.
