Author Topic: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles  (Read 37176 times)

Online jye

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Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« on: January 27, 2017, 04:52:44 AM »
The Voice Of Lakewood has been running articles and letters the past few weeks referring to Lakewood as the luxury capital of the Jewish world. In clothing, homes etc. Lakewood is described as being first in the latest and greatest high end trends, with mountains of debt financing this lifestyle. Do you think this is an accurate assessment of today's Lakewood? Could be I don't get around much but it seems to me that it's no more pronounced than other communities I've been to. Maybe it's just the contrast with the old Lakewood? Assuming the issue is for real, is there any REALISTIC solution? Curious to hear what others feel about the issue....

Offline Emkay

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2017, 04:58:19 AM »
The Voice Of Lakewood has been running articles and letters the past few weeks referring to Lakewood as the luxury capital of the Jewish world. In clothing, homes etc. Lakewood is described as being first in the latest and greatest high end trends, with mountains of debt financing this lifestyle. Do you think this is an accurate assessment of today's Lakewood? Could be I don't get around much but it seems to me that it's no more pronounced than other communities I've been to. Maybe it's just the contrast with the old Lakewood? Assuming the issue is for real, is there any REALISTIC solution? Curious to hear what others feel about the issue....
Why come here to post? Ask in BMG coffee room.

Offline David Smith

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2017, 05:11:46 AM »
This must be the third or fourth thread on this topic.
Who do you think you are fooling? You think you are going to pull a quick one on your Creator? Good luck with that.
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Offline churnbabychurn

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2017, 05:35:51 AM »
The Voice Of Lakewood has been running articles and letters the past few weeks referring to Lakewood as the luxury capital of the Jewish world. In clothing, homes etc. Lakewood is described as being first in the latest and greatest high end trends, with mountains of debt financing this lifestyle. Do you think this is an accurate assessment of today's Lakewood? Could be I don't get around much but it seems to me that it's no more pronounced than other communities I've been to. Maybe it's just the contrast with the old Lakewood? Assuming the issue is for real, is there any REALISTIC solution? Curious to hear what others feel about the issue....
First solution is for the Voice of Lakewood to stop ramming their despicable redifas ha'luxury lifestyle down everyone's throats.

How ironic that the VOICE non the less, is running articles about gashmius, while they are still running their "home lifestyle series" (or whatever they call it), about how to have the most luxurious home possible.
"How to custom outfit and decorate your bathroom"
How to select the most opulent furniture etc etc.

The whole entire paper is designed around selling more and more gashmius real estate, and other just "must have". They sell the lifestyle so that they can sell the Adds.. And it's dropped on everyone's doorstep.

/Rant
« Last Edit: January 27, 2017, 05:40:31 AM by churnbabychurn »

Offline yuneeq

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2017, 08:20:24 AM »
First solution is for the Voice of Lakewood to stop ramming their despicable redifas ha'luxury lifestyle down everyone's throats.

How ironic that the VOICE non the less, is running articles about gashmius, while they are still running their "home lifestyle series" (or whatever they call it), about how to have the most luxurious home possible.
"How to custom outfit and decorate your bathroom"
How to select the most opulent furniture etc etc.

The whole entire paper is designed around selling more and more gashmius real estate, and other just "must have". They sell the lifestyle so that they can sell the Adds.. And it's dropped on everyone's doorstep.

/Rant

I don't think it's ironic at all that they write these articles. They have to offer a balanced POV, and naturally, one side justifies the direction the VOL has been following for quite a while. Personally it doesn't bother me what Lakewood has become, it was already trending this way before I moved here. I might mention that its fighting a losing battle when the Yeshiva has been part of the cause.
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Offline grodnoking

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2017, 08:24:00 AM »


I might mention that its fighting a losing battle when the Yeshiva has been part of the cause.
This
I'm not who you think I am.

Online jye

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2017, 09:09:01 AM »
I don't think it's ironic at all that they write these articles. They have to offer a balanced POV, and naturally, one side justifies the direction the VOL has been following for quite a while. Personally it doesn't bother me what Lakewood has become, it was already trending this way before I moved here. I might mention that its fighting a losing battle when the Yeshiva has been part of the cause.
It would seem to me that the typical person who is portrayed as personifiying this issue barely seems to know that the yeshiva even exists...

Offline asd

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2017, 10:05:42 AM »
The major difference between now and even a few years ago  is that when a person left yeshiva to go to work he just wanted to make a living(maybe even a nice living) but he didn't measure his success in life based on how much money he had.Now the american dream has taken over the mindset of our younger crowd and the redifas hamomon culture is invading lakewood

Offline Iz

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2017, 10:10:24 AM »
I don't think it's ironic at all that they write these articles. They have to offer a balanced POV, and naturally, one side justifies the direction the VOL has been following for quite a while. Personally it doesn't bother me what Lakewood has become, it was already trending this way before I moved here. I might mention that its fighting a losing battle when the Yeshiva has been part of the cause.
How is that, exactly?

Offline yuneeq

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2017, 10:18:51 AM »
How is that, exactly?

Building residential developments that attract out-of-towners, in addition to public aspirations of building-
a retail mall
corporate offices (hi-tech and pharmaceutical)
restaurants
hotels
an amphitheater

Need I continue?
« Last Edit: January 27, 2017, 10:21:59 AM by yuneeq »
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Offline cmey

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2017, 10:19:43 AM »
The major difference between now and even a few years ago  is that when a person left yeshiva to go to work he just wanted to make a living(maybe even a nice living) but he didn't measure his success in life based on how much money he had.Now the american dream has taken over the mindset of our younger crowd and the redifas hamomon culture is invading lakewood
The new norm is for moderate income earners to buy $400-600,000 knockdowns to build a rather palatial 4500 to 5000 square foot home. Building a 3200 square foot home is practically a thing of the past. It used to be that a vehicle was a means to get around Lakewood. Now it is a statement. Same goes for strollers, clothes, etc. I think the writer in the voice last week hit the nail on the head when she said that unless you have shiurim for women- and men- to help them feel connected to their Ruchniyus side, and feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment through their connection to ruchniyus, (and no, tzniyus lectures won't do the job) there will be a void, and gashmiyus will fill that void and become a benchmark to measure success and fulfillment....

Offline Iz

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2017, 10:27:26 AM »
Building residential developments that attract out-of-towners, in addition to public aspirations of building-
a retail mall
corporate offices (hi-tech and pharmaceutical)
restaurants
hotels
an amphitheater

Need I continue?
Ok, that's what I figured you meant. That being the case, a bit of clarification is in order: Not the yeshiva per se, but the "corporate arm" of the yeshiva. Not justifying; just clarifying.

Offline churnbabychurn

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2017, 10:33:10 AM »
. Personally it doesn't bother me what Lakewood has become, it was already trending this way before I moved here.

Not to get all preachy, but:

Its not all about Lakewood. This phenomena of chasing the american dream of living a luxurious lifestyle is the biggest threat to Yiddishkeit in this generation. similar to Haskala back in the day, or worse.

How are we to bring up children to have any interest and enthusiasm in spiritual pursuits, about learning/davening etc if this is the focus we teach and live by?
Its either this world or the next. Yiddishkeit is becoming an empty shell.
Its a terrible situation, but noone speaks out.... This is not the focus of Agudah conventions or anything else. Roshei Mosdos and some Rabbonim dont criticize the redifas hamamon because they suffer from the same ailment themselves!

We are left with the glossy VOL discussing this as though its just another quality of life issue..... How ridiculous.

/end preach

Offline cmey

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2017, 10:34:24 AM »
First solution is for the Voice of Lakewood to stop ramming their despicable redifas ha'luxury lifestyle down everyone's throats.

How ironic that the VOICE non the less, is running articles about gashmius, while they are still running their "home lifestyle series" (or whatever they call it), about how to have the most luxurious home possible.
"How to custom outfit and decorate your bathroom"
How to select the most opulent furniture etc etc.

The whole entire paper is designed around selling more and more gashmius real estate, and other just "must have". They sell the lifestyle so that they can sell the Adds.. And it's dropped on everyone's doorstep.

/Rant

I did find it really hilarious that in this weeks issue, in between two letters decrying the luxury lifestyles there's a full page ad from "The Runway" ?!

Offline yuneeq

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #14 on: January 27, 2017, 10:36:25 AM »
Ok, that's what I figured you meant. That being the case, a bit of clarification is in order: Not the yeshiva per se, but the "corporate arm" of the yeshiva. Not justifying; just clarifying.

By their design they're one and the same
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Offline churnbabychurn

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #15 on: January 27, 2017, 10:37:14 AM »
I did find it really hilarious that in this weeks issue, in between two letters decrying the luxury lifestyles there's a full page ad from "The Runway" ?!

Absolutely pathetic. The voice is just trying to stir up an interesting discussion so that they can sell more of the gashmius. If it was up to me i would not allow the Voice into my house....

Offline yuneeq

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #16 on: January 27, 2017, 10:38:38 AM »
Not to get all preachy, but:

Its not all about Lakewood. This phenomena of chasing the american dream of living a luxurious lifestyle is the biggest threat to Yiddishkeit in this generation. similar to Haskala back in the day, or worse.

How are we to bring up children to have any interest and enthusiasm in spiritual pursuits, about learning/davening etc if this is the focus we teach and live by?
Its either this world or the next. Yiddishkeit is becoming an empty shell.
Its a terrible situation, but noone speaks out.... This is not the focus of Agudah conventions or anything else. Roshei Mosdos and some Rabbonim dont criticize the redifas hamamon because they suffer from the same ailment themselves!

We are left with the glossy VOL discussing this as though its just another quality of life issue..... How ridiculous.

/end preach

Ironically you're posting this on a website that's dedicated to chasing the American dream (at a discount, of course.)
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Offline zh cohen

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #17 on: January 27, 2017, 10:41:03 AM »
Not to get all preachy, but:

Its not all about Lakewood. This phenomena of chasing the american dream of living a luxurious lifestyle is the biggest threat to Yiddishkeit in this generation. similar to Haskala back in the day, or worse.

How are we to bring up children to have any interest and enthusiasm in spiritual pursuits, about learning/davening etc if this is the focus we teach and live by?
Its either this world or the next. Yiddishkeit is becoming an empty shell.
Its a terrible situation, but noone speaks out.... This is not the focus of Agudah conventions or anything else. Roshei Mosdos and some Rabbonim dont criticize the redifas hamamon because they suffer from the same ailment themselves!

We are left with the glossy VOL discussing this as though its just another quality of life issue..... How ridiculous.

/end preach

Preach brother!

 אין אני והוא יכולים לדור

Offline churnbabychurn

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #18 on: January 27, 2017, 10:41:39 AM »
Ironically you're posting this on a website that's dedicated to chasing the American dream (at a discount, of course.)
Huh?
Strongly disagree. When I used this website to churn/earn, it was definitely not for any american dream...

To each their own.. but ive never flow in J in my life!

Offline cmey

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Re: Lakewood Luxury Lifestyles
« Reply #19 on: January 27, 2017, 10:42:31 AM »
Not to get all preachy, but:

Its not all about Lakewood. This phenomena of chasing the american dream of living a luxurious lifestyle is the biggest threat to Yiddishkeit in this generation. similar to Haskala back in the day, or worse.

How are we to bring up children to have any interest and enthusiasm in spiritual pursuits, about learning/davening etc if this is the focus we teach and live by?
Its either this world or the next. Yiddishkeit is becoming an empty shell.
Its a terrible situation, but noone speaks out.... This is not the focus of Agudah conventions or anything else. Roshei Mosdos and some Rabbonim dont criticize the redifas hamamon because they suffer from the same ailment themselves!

We are left with the glossy VOL discussing this as though its just another quality of life issue..... How ridiculous.

/end preach

How about a curriculum in the elementary and high school about the maalos of living a simpler lifestyle and the connection to ruchniyus that it can foster. In the 60s and 70s the bais Yaakov's were wildly successful in educating a generation of girls about the value of Torah and appreciation for kollel despite coming from homes that looked down upon the same. Perhaps this can be accomplished in this area as well. IMO once a child leaves school the odds of them gravitating away from the lifestyle they see in the home and on the street is very very low...