Lakewood Township is the most populous
township
A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...
in
Ocean County
Ocean County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area. The county borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east and in terms of total area is the state's largest county. Its co ...
, in the
U.S. state of
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. A rapidly growing community, as of the
2020 United States census, the township's population was 135,158,
[ its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 42,315 (+45.6%) from the 2010 census count of 92,843,][ which in turn reflected an increase of 32,491 (+53.8%) from the 60,352 counted in the 2000 census. The township ranked as the fifth-most-populous municipality in the state in 2020, after ranking seventh in 2010, and 22nd in 2000, placing the township only behind the state's four biggest cities ( Newark; ]Jersey City
Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous ; Paterson; Elizabeth).[The Counties and Most Populous Cities and Townships in 2010 in New Jersey: 2000 and 2010]
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed May 12, 2017. The sharp increase in population from 2000 to 2010 was led largely by increases in the township's Orthodox Jewish and Latino communities.[Rundquist, Jeanette]
"Lakewood, N.J.'s fastest-growing town, is defined by its diversity"
, '' The Star-Ledger'', February 6, 2011. Accessed September 5, 2011. "The 54 percent population increase, according to residents and community leaders in Lakewood, was fueled by growth in the Jewish community, the Latino community, and a third group, senior citizens. The town's African-American population, meanwhile, dropped slightly." Further growth in the Orthodox community led to a sharp increase in population in the 2020 census, with a large number of births leading to a significant drop in the township's median age. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program
The Population Estimates Program (PEP) is a program of the U.S. Census Bureau that publishes annual population estimates and estimates of birth, death, and international migration rates for people in the United States. In addition to publishing t ...
calculated that the township's population was 139,506 in 2022,[ helping the fast-growing town surpass Elizabeth as the fourth-most-populous municipality in the state.][
As a major hub of Orthodox Judaism, Lakewood is home to Beth Medrash Govoha, the largest ]yeshiva
A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...
outside of Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
.[Di Ionno, Mark]
"How Lakewood became a worldwide destination for Orthodox Jews"
, '' The Star-Ledger'', May 7, 2017. Accessed May 12, 2017. "It is Friday in Lakewood. A few thousand young men in black suits and wide-brimmed black hats are rushing toward Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG), the world's largest yeshiva outside of Israel... The yeshiva has about 6,500 students, equal in enrollment to the College of New Jersey." The large Orthodox population, which comprises more than half the township's population, strongly influences the township's culture[ and wields considerable political clout in the township as a ]voting bloc
A voting bloc is a group of voting, voters that are strongly motivated by a specific common concern or group of concerns to the point that such specific concerns tend to dominate their voting patterns, causing them to vote together in elections.
...
.
History
The earliest documented European settlement of the present Lakewood area was by operators of sawmills, from about 1750 forward. One such sawmill—located at the east end of the present Lake Carasaljo—was known as Three Partners Mill from at least 1789 until at least 1814. From 1815 until 1818, in the same area, Jesse Richards had an iron-smelting
Smelting is a process of applying heat and a chemical reducing agent to an ore to extract a desired base metal product. It is a form of extractive metallurgy that is used to obtain many metals such as iron-making, iron, copper extraction, copper ...
operation known as Washington Furnace, using the local bog iron ore. The ironworks were revived in 1833 by Joseph W. Brick, who named the business Bergen Iron Works, which also became the name of the accompanying town. In 1865, the town was renamed Bricksburg, and in 1880, it was renamed Lakewood and became a fashionable winter resort.
Lakewood's developers thought that "Bricksburg" did not capture their vision for the community, and the names "Brightwood" and "Lakewood" were proposed. After reaching out to area residents, "Lakewood" was chosen, and the United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
approved the name in March 1880. The name "Lakewood" was intended to focus on the location near lakes and pine forests.
Lakewood was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...
on March 23, 1892, from portions of Brick Township. Portions of Howell Township in Monmouth County were annexed to Lakewood Township in 1929.[Snyder, John P]
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 203. Accessed March 19, 2012.
Lakewood's three most prominent hotels were the Laurel House (opened in 1880; closed in 1932), the Lakewood Hotel (opened January 1891, closed in 1925), and the Laurel-in-the-Pines (opened December 1891, burned down in 1967). Lakewood's promoters claimed that its winter temperature was usually about ten degrees warmer than that of New York City and were warmer than points located further south, but this claim is not substantiated by official records of the United States Weather Bureau. During the 1890s, Lakewood was a resort for the rich and famous, and ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' devoted a weekly column to the activities of Lakewood society. Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, serving from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. He was the first U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms and the first Hist ...
spent the winters of 1891–1892 and 1892–1893 in a cottage near the Lakewood Hotel, commuting to his business in New York City. This cottage became part of the Tuberculosis Preventorium for Children in 1909. Mark Twain also enjoyed vacationing in Lakewood. George Jay Gould I acquired an estate at Lakewood in 1896, which is now Georgian Court University. John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller Sr. (July 8, 1839 – May 23, 1937) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He was one of the List of richest Americans in history, wealthiest Americans of all time and one of the richest people in modern hist ...
bought a property in 1902 which later became Ocean County Park. Lakewood's hotel business remained strong in the 1920s and 1950s, but went into severe decline in the 1960s.
In 1943, Aharon Kotler founded Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG). In time, it would grow to become the largest yeshiva
A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...
outside of Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
. In the 1960s, much of the woods and cranberry bogs in the township were replaced by large housing developments. Leisure Village, a condominium retirement development on the south side of Route 70, opened for sale in 1963.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the township had a total area of 25.08 square miles (64.95 km2), including 24.68 square miles (63.92 km2) of land and 0.40 square miles (1.03 km2) of water (1.59%). Lying on the coastal plain, Lakewood is a fairly flat place: three-quarters of it is above sea level, and its highest point is about .
The North Branch of the Metedeconk River forms the northern boundary and part of the eastern boundary of the township, while the South Branch runs through the township. A southern portion of the township is drained by the north branch of Kettle Creek. As implied in its name, Lakewood township has four lakes, all of them man-made; three of them—Lake Carasaljo, Manetta, and Shenandoah—are on the South Branch of the Metedeconk River, whereas the fourth—Lake Waddill—is on Kettle Creek.
Lakewood CDP (2010 Census population of 53,805), Leisure Village (4,400 as of 2010) and Leisure Village East (4,217 as of 2010) are unincorporated communities and census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
s (CDPs) located within Lakewood Township.[New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32)]
, United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, August 2012. Accessed December 26, 2012.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Greenville, Lake Carasaljo, Seven Stars and South Lakewood.
The township borders the municipalities of Brick Township, Jackson Township, and Toms River in Ocean County; and Howell Township in Monmouth County.
The township, including a portion of its southwestern portion, is one of 11 municipalities in Ocean County that are part of the Toms River watershed.
Demographics
A study of Jewish communities published under the auspices of the Berman Jewish DataBank
The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), formerly the United Jewish Communities (UJC), is an American Jewish umbrella organization for the Jewish Federations system, representing over 350 independent Jewish communities across North America ...
estimated that Lakewood had a total Jewish population of 54,500 in 2009, about 59% of the township's 2010 population. NJ.com estimated in 2018 that two-thirds of the township's residents, or about 90,000 people, were Orthodox Jews
Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as literally revealed by God on Mount Sinai and faithfully tr ...
.
After the Second World War, Lakewood had a significant Estonian population. The community had an Estonian-language Saturday school, church, Boy Scout troop, and folk dance group.
The median value of owner occupied housing is $322,000 with an average mortgage of $2,216 and additional housing expenses of $807. The median gross rent is $1,463.
2020 census
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 92,843 people, 24,283 households, and 17,362 families in the township. The population density was . There were 26,337 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 84.33% (78,290) White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 6.35% (5,898) Black or African American, 0.30% (276) Native American, 0.84% (777) Asian, 0.02% (14) Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 6.68% (6,199) from other races, and 1.50% (1,389) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.30% (16,062) of the population.[
Of the 24,283 households, 43.2% had children under the age of 18; 58.5% were married couples living together; 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.5% were non-families. Of all households, 24.6% were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.73 and the average family size was 4.49.][
41.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 11.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 98.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 94.0 males.][
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 ]American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income
The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...
was $41,527 (with a margin of error of +/− $1,797) and the median family income was $45,420 (+/− $2,296). Males had a median income of $39,857 (+/− $4,206) versus $32,699 (+/− $2,365) for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the township was $16,430 (+/− $565). About 21.9% of families and 26.1% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 36.0% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[U.S. Census website](_blank)
, United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
. Accessed September 4, 2014. there were 60,352 people, 19,876 households, and 13,356 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 21,214 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 78.77% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 12.05% African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.17% Native American, 1.39% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 4.61% from other races, and 2.98% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 14.80% of the population.[Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Lakewood township, Ocean County, New Jersey]
, United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
. Accessed January 3, 2012.[DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Lakewood township, Ocean County, New Jersey]
, United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
. Accessed September 23, 2012.
There were 19,876 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.64.[
In the township the population was spread out, with 31.8% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 15.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.][
The median income for a household in the township was $35,634, and the median income for a family was $43,806. Males had a median income of $38,967 versus $26,645 for females. The ]per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the township was $16,700. About 15.7% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 28.9% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.[
]
Economy
Portions of the township are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. Lakewood was selected in 1994 as one of a group of 10 zones added to participate in the program. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax
A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a govern ...
rate (half of the % rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in November 1994, the township's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in October 2025. The UEZ is overseen by the Lakewood Development Corporation, which works to foster the UEZ and the businesses that operate inside it through loan and grant programs.
Education
Lakewood School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade
Twelfth Grade (also known as Grade 12, Senior Year, Standard 12, 12th Standard, 12th Class, or Class 12th or Class 12) is the twelfth and final Educational stage, year of Formal education, formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final ...
, and is broken up into three different stages of schooling. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of eight schools, had an enrollment of 5,433 students and 511.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.6:1.[District information for Lakewood Township School District]
, National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...
. Accessed December 1, 2022. Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...
) are
Lakewood Early Childhood Center with 247 students in PreK,
Ella G. Clarke School with 375 students in grades 2-5,
Clifton Avenue School with 387 students in grades 2-5,
Oak Street School with 633 students in grades 1-5,
Piner Elementary School with 415 students in grades PreK-1,
Spruce Street School with 384 students in grades PreK-1,
Lakewood Middle School with 1,126 students in grades 6-8 and
Lakewood High School with 1,458 students in grades 9-12.
In recent years, the Lakewood School District has had budgetary issues, shutting down briefly in 2019 due to a funding deficit. The district spends more money on special education programs than any other district in the state and has a high bill for mandatory busing to non-public schools. Town leaders also cite imbalanced state funding formulas as the root of the district's financial problems.
Georgian Court University is a private, Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
university located on the shores of Lake Carasaljo. Founded in 1908 by the Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy is a religious institute for women in the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1831 in Dublin, Ireland, by Catherine McAuley. In 2019, the institute had about 6,200 Religious sister, sisters worldwide, organized into a number ...
as a women's college in North Plainfield, New Jersey, the school moved to the former estate of George Jay Gould I in Lakewood in 1924. Women made up 88% of the student population in Fall 2006.
There are many yeshivas and Jewish day schools serving the Orthodox Jewish community, with the school district providing busing to 18,000 students enrolled at 74 yeshivas as of 2011, and 25,000 by 2016.[Rinde, Meir]
"Is Lakewood on the Verge of a Meltdown?"
, NJ Spotlight, June 21, 2016. Accessed April 6, 2017. "State and local educational funding systems aren't built to handle a town with 25,000 children in religious institutions and 6,000 in the public schools, says Rev. Glenn Wilson." BMG, one of the world's largest yeshivas, had an enrollment in excess of 6,500.[ It is a post high school institution for higher education, where students primarily focus on the study of the ]Talmud
The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
and ''halakha
''Halakha'' ( ; , ), also Romanization of Hebrew, transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Judaism, Jewish religious laws that are derived from the Torah, Written and Oral Torah. ''Halakha'' is ...
'' (Jewish law).
The non-denominational Calvary Academy serves students in kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
through twelfth grade
Twelfth Grade (also known as Grade 12, Senior Year, Standard 12, 12th Standard, 12th Class, or Class 12th or Class 12) is the twelfth and final Educational stage, year of Formal education, formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final ...
.
The Roman Catholic-affiliated Holy Family School served youth from preschool through eighth grade under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. In 2014, the diocese announced that the school was closing at the end of the 2014–2015 school year, as fewer students were enrolling.
Arts and culture
The Strand Theater, established in 1922, was designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb.
Sports
ShoreTown Ballpark, home of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, is a 6,588-seat stadium constructed at a cost of $22 million through funds raised from the township's Urban Enterprise Zone.
The BlueClaws, previously known as the Lakewood Blue Claws, have led the league in attendance every year since its formation in 2001 up until 2011, with more than 380,000 fans in the 2001 season, representing an average attendance of more than 6,200 fans per game.
Parks and recreation
Ocean County Park offers tennis courts, sports fields, hiking trails, beach volleyball, a driving range, swimming and cross-country skiing.[Staff]
"Rockefeller Estate Will Become a Park"
, ''The New York Times'', April 18, 1940. Accessed July 18, 2018. Lakes Carasaljo and Shenandoah have canoe and kayak access, and jogging trails. The Sister Mary Grace Burns Arboretum is located on the campus of Georgian Court University.
Government
Local government
Lakewood Township is governed under the Township
A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...
form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large
At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...
in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.[''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', ]Rutgers University
Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 103. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.
The Township Committee controls all legislative powers of the Township except for health matters, which are controlled by the Board of Health. In addition, the Committee appoints members to boards, commissions, and committees. Each member of the township committee serves as a liaison to different divisions, departments, and committees.
The mayor, elected from among members of the committee, presides at meetings and performs other duties as the Township Committee may prescribe. The mayor has the power to appoint subcommittees with the consent of the committee. When authorized, the mayor may execute documents on behalf of the township, makes proclamations concerning holidays and events of interest, and exercises ceremonial power of the Township and other powers conferred by law.
, the members of the Lakewood Township Committee are Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
Ray Coles ( D, term on committee ends December 31, 2026; term as mayor ends 2024), Deputy mayor Menashe Miller ( R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2024), Albert Akerman (R, 2025), Deborah Fuentes (R, 2026) and Meir Lichtenstein (D, 2024).[Government]
Lakewood Township. Accessed April 17, 2024.[Township of Lakewood]
Ocean County, New Jersey
Ocean County is a List of counties in New Jersey, county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area. The county borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east and in terms of total area is the ...
. Accessed April 17, 2024.[''2024 Ocean County & Municipal Elected Officials'']
Ocean County, New Jersey
Ocean County is a List of counties in New Jersey, county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area. The county borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east and in terms of total area is the ...
Clerk, updated April 2, 2024. Accessed April 17, 2024.[General Election Results November 7, 2023 Official Results]
Ocean County, New Jersey
Ocean County is a List of counties in New Jersey, county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area. The county borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east and in terms of total area is the ...
, updated November 22, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.[2022 General Election Official Results November 8, 2022]
Ocean County, New Jersey
Ocean County is a List of counties in New Jersey, county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area. The county borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east and in terms of total area is the ...
Clerk, updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.[2021 General Election Official Results]
Ocean County, New Jersey
Ocean County is a List of counties in New Jersey, county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area. The county borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east and in terms of total area is the ...
. Accessed January 1, 2022.
Police
Lakewood Township is served by the Lakewood Police Department (LPD), which provides police protection for the township. It has several specialized units: Traffic and Safety, School Resource Officers, Special Response Team (SWAT
A SWAT (''Special Weapons and Tactics'') team is a generic term for a police tactical unit within the United States, though the term has also been used by other nations.
SWAT units are generally trained, equipped, and deployed to res ...
), Dive Team, and a Motorcycle Patrol and Bicycle Patrol unit in the spring and summer. The current Chief of Police is Gregory Meyer.
Fire
Lakewood Township is served by the Lakewood Fire Department (LFD), a unified combination consisting of four Volunteer Fire Stations and one career fire station which provide fire protection for the township.[Fire Department]
Township of Lakewood. Accessed March 16, 2024. "The Lakewood Volunteer Fire Department was founded in 1888. The Lakewood Fire Department is a combination department. There are currently 50 active firefighters and support members in the volunteer fire department. The Career Division of the Department was started in the 1950s and currently employs 33 firefighters and officers, which includes the Chief of Department."
The fire department was founded in October 1888. The Board of Fire Commissioners was created in 1896. The first motorized equipment was purchased in 1915. The largest fire in township history occurred on April 20, 1940, when a forest fire destroyed over 50 structures and burned down most of the southern half of town. The largest loss of life caused by fire occurred on February 12, 1936, when the Victoria Mansion Hotel, valued at $100,000 (equivalent to $ million in ), located on the southeast corner of Lexington Avenue and Seventh Street, was destroyed in a fire and 16 people died. The largest structure fire in department history occurred on March 29, 1967, when the block-long Laurel in the Pines Hotel was leveled by a suspicious fire that also killed three people. The last fire hose was picked up a week later when the fire was finally declared out.
There are 33 career firefighters (including a career Fire Chief) and approximately 50 volunteer firefighters.[
The Chief of the Lakewood Fire Department is Jonathan Yahr.][
]
=Fire stations
=
Fire stations are located across the township:[
*Engine Company 1 – Engine 1, Engine 11; 119 First Street
*Engine 2, 1350 Lanes Mills Road
*Engine 3; 976 New Hampshire Avenue
*Ladder 3, Engine 33; 170 Lafayette Boulevard
*Engine 4, Engine 44; 300 River Avenue
*Engine 5 735 Cedar Bridge Avenue (Career)
*Ladder 5 800 Monmouth Avenue (Career)
*Support Services & RAC Unit (Rehab) 733 Cedar Bridge Avenue
]
EMS
Lakewood Township is served by three emergency medical services
Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services, pre-hospital care or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to d ...
(EMS) entities, which include Lakewood EMS (LEMS), Lakewood First Aid & Emergency Squad (LFAS) and Hatzolah EMS. The squads are all independently operated, but work together to provide emergency medical services for the township. Lakewood First Aid & Emergency Squad and Hatzolah EMS are volunteer organizations, while Lakewood EMS is a career municipal service under the direction of EMS Chief Crystal Van de Zilver.
In the event of a motor vehicle accident, Lakewood First Aid & Emergency Squad are the primary providers of vehicle extrication services for the township and Hatzolah EMS serves as backup.
The three organizations collectively have approximately 150 volunteer and paid EMTs. Hatzolah also has a paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional trained in the medical model, whose main role has historically been to respond to emergency calls for medical help outside of a hospital. Paramedics work as part of the emergency medical services (EMS), ...
unit by special arrangement with RWJBarnabas Health.
*Lakewood First Aid & Emergency Squad – Squad 25 – 1555 Pine Street[Services]
, Lakewood First Aid & Emergency Squad. Accessed September 14, 2013.
*Hatzolah EMS – Squad 45 – Monmouth Avenue and 3rd Street, 501 West County Line Road at Heathwood Avenue
;EMS Department
*Lakewood EMS – Squad 52 – 1555 Pine Street
Federal, state, and county representation
Lakewood Township is located in the 4th Congressional District,[Plan Components Report]
, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 30th state legislative district.[Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District]
, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.[''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government'']
, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 37,925 registered voters in Lakewood Township, of which 6,417 (16.9%) were registered as Democrats, 13,287 (35.0%) were registered as Republicans, and 18,202 (48.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 19 voters registered to other parties.[Voter Registration Summary - Ocean]
, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 26, 2012. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 40.8% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 70.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).[
The Vaad in Lakewood is an 11-member council of elders from the Orthodox community, which greatly influences the way the community will vote, often after interviewing political candidates.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican ]Chris Christie
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...
received 82.4% of the vote (11,850 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 16.9% (2,427 votes), and other candidates with 0.7% (107 votes), among the 14,921 ballots cast by the township's 41,567 registered voters (537 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 35.9%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 54.9% of the vote (10,528 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 30.8% (5,910 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 2.6% (506 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (142 votes), among the 19,171 ballots cast by the township's 37,928 registered voters, yielding a 50.5% turnout.
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the township had a total of of roadways; of which were maintained by the municipality, by Ocean County, by the New Jersey Department of Transportation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transport ...
, and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
The Garden State Parkway
The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a Controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll road that stretches the north–south length of eastern New Jersey from the state's southernmost tip near Cape May, New Jersey, Cape May north to the New York ...
is the most prominent highway in Lakewood. It passes through the eastern part of the municipality, connecting Toms River in the south to Brick
A brick is a type of construction material used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a unit primarily composed of clay. But is now also used informally to denote building un ...
in the north with one major interchange serving Lakewood at exit 89. Drivers can access Route 70 from exit 89, after exit 88 was permanently closed in November 2014. The state and U.S. routes that pass through are Route 70, Route 88 and Route 9. Major county routes that pass through are CR 526, CR 528, CR 547 and CR 549.
Public transportation
The Lakewood Bus Terminal is a regional transit hub. NJ Transit provides bus service on the 137 and 139 routes to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus station, bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving ab ...
in New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, to Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
on the 317 route, to Newark on the 67 and to Atlantic City on the 559.
The Lakewood Shuttle is a bus with two routes: one in town, and one in Industrial Park.
Ocean Ride local service is provided on the OC3 Brick / Lakewood / Toms River and OC4 Lakewood – Brick Link routes.
Lakewood Airport is a public-use airport located southeast of the township's central business district
A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...
. The airport is publicly owned.
The Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line is a passenger rail project proposed by NJ Transit Rail Operations to serve the Central New Jersey
Central Jersey, or Central New Jersey, is the middle region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The designation Central Jersey is a distinct administrative division, administrative toponymy, toponym. While New Jersey is often divided into North Je ...
counties of Monmouth, Ocean
The ocean is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of Earth. The ocean is conventionally divided into large bodies of water, which are also referred to as ''oceans'' (the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Indian, Southern Ocean ...
and Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...
which would serve Lakewood.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Lakewood Township include:
* Yitzchak Abadi (born 1933), rabbi and posek
In Jewish law, a ''posek'' ( , pl. ''poskim'', ) is a legal scholar who determines the application of ''halakha'', the Jewish religious laws derived from the written and Oral Torah, in cases of Jewish law where previous authorities are incon ...
* Morton I. Abramowitz (born 1933), diplomat
* Val Ackerman (born 1959), first president of the Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. The league comprises 13 teams (scheduled to expand to 15 in 2026). The WNBA is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.
The WNBA w ...
* Jay Alders (class of 1996), fine artist, photographer and graphic designer, best known for his original surf art paintings
* Joe Baum (1920–1998), restaurateur
* Spider Bennett (born 1943), professional basketball player in the ABA with the Dallas Chaparrals and Houston Mavericks
The Houston Mavericks were a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA). They played in the upstart league's first two seasons, from 1967–68 ABA season, 1967 to 1968–69 ABA season, 1969. Their home arena was the Sam Houston Co ...
* Tyrice Beverette (born 1995), professional Canadian football
Canadian football, or simply football, is a Sports in Canada, sport in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete on a field long and wide, attempting to advance a Ball (gridiron football), pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposi ...
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...
for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are currently members of the East Division (CFL), East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Tiger-Cats play their home game ...
of the Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...
* Yisroel Pinchos Bodner, rabbi and author of books on various topics of halakha
''Halakha'' ( ; , ), also Romanization of Hebrew, transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Judaism, Jewish religious laws that are derived from the Torah, Written and Oral Torah. ''Halakha'' is ...
* Brandon Carter
Brandon Carter, (born 1942) is an Australian theoretical physics, theoretical physicist who explores the properties of black holes, and was the first to name and employ the anthropic principle in its contemporary form. He is a researcher at t ...
(born 1986), former offensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
* Haakon Chevalier (1901–1985), author
In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...
, translator
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''trans ...
, and professor of French literature
French literature () generally speaking, is literature written in the French language, particularly by French people, French citizens; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of Franc ...
at the University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...
, best known for his friendship with physicist
A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...
J. Robert Oppenheimer
* Simcha Bunim Cohen, rabbi, posek
In Jewish law, a ''posek'' ( , pl. ''poskim'', ) is a legal scholar who determines the application of ''halakha'', the Jewish religious laws derived from the written and Oral Torah, in cases of Jewish law where previous authorities are incon ...
and author
* Michael Cudlitz (born 1964), actor who has appeared in '' Southland'' and '' Band of Brothers''
* Ngo Dinh Diem (1901–1963), first president of South Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...
* Marc Ecko (born 1972), founder and CEO of Eckō Unltd.
* Shimon Eider (died 2007), rabbi, author on ''halakha'' and expert on the construction of eruv
An ''eruv'' (; , , also transliterated as ''eiruv'' or ''erub'', plural: ''eruvin'' or ''eruvim'') is a ritual ''halakhic'' enclosure made for the purpose of allowing activities which are normally Activities prohibited on Shabbat, prohibited ...
in
* Mendel Epstein, convicted leader of the New York divorce coercion gang
* Dick Estelle (born 1942), pitcher who played for the San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
* Mike Gesicki (born 1995), tight end
The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...
who plays for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
* Hazel Gluck (born 1934), politician and lobbyist who served in the New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
and held several posts in the cabinet of Governor Thomas Kean
* William Goldstein (born 1942), composer, recording artist, arts philosopher and improvisational pianist
* George Jay Gould I (1864–1923), financier and railroad executive, whose estate became Georgian Court University
* Virginia E. Haines (born 1946), politician who serves on the Ocean County
Ocean County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area. The county borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east and in terms of total area is the state's largest county. Its co ...
Board of Chosen Freeholders and had served in the New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.
Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...
from 1992 to 1994 and as Executive Director of the New Jersey Lottery from 1994 to 2002
* Yehudah Jacobs (–2020), ''mashgiach ruchani
A mashgiach ruchani (; pl., ''mashgichim ruchani'im''), sometimes mashgiach for short, is a spiritual supervisor or guide. They are usually a rabbi who has an official position within a yeshiva and is responsible for the non-academic areas of yesh ...
'' (spiritual guidance counselor) at BMG
* Serge Jaroff (1896–1985), conductor, composer and founder of the Don Cossack Chorus
* C.S. Eliot Kang (born 1962), diplomat
A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...
and member of the Senior Executive Service
The Senior Executive Service (SES) is a position classification in the United States federal civil service equivalent to general officer or flag officer rank in the U.S. Armed Forces. It was created in 1979 when the Civil Service Reform Act of ...
* Stan Kasten (born 1952), president and part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
, and former President of the Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...
, Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
, Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Easte ...
and Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL sea ...
* Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll (born 1975), activist and writer whose work focuses on women's rights in Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Torah, Written and Oral Torah, Oral, as literally revelation, revealed by God in Ju ...
and the visibility of women in Israel's Orthodox communities
* Edith Kingdon (1864–1921), actress wife of George Jay Gould I
* Aharon Kotler (1892–1962), founder of BMG and a pre-eminent authority on Torah in the 20th Century among Haredi Jews
* Malkiel Kotler (born 1951), current rosh yeshiva of BMG
* Shneur Kotler (1918–1982), rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva (, plural, pl. , '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and th ...
(dean) of BMG
* Cliff Kresge (born 1968), professional golfer
* Joseph Mayer (1877–1942), mayor of Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar is a Borough (New Jersey), borough located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 5,907, an increase of 113 ...
, who later served on the Ocean County
Ocean County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the southernmost county in the New York metropolitan area. The county borders the Atlantic Ocean on the east and in terms of total area is the state's largest county. Its co ...
Board of Chosen Freeholders
* Rich Medina (born 1969), DJ, producer, spoken word poet, archivist, and journalist
A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism.
Roles
Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...
* Sonia Handelman Meyer (1920–2022), photographer best known for her street photography
Street photography is photography conducted for art or inquiry that features unmediated chance encounters and random incidents within Public space, public places. It usually has the aim of capturing images at a decisive or poignant moment by caref ...
as a member of the New York Photo League
* Purnell Mincy (1916–2003), Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relativel ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
from 1938 to 1940
* Charles W. Morse (1856–1933), Wall Street speculator
* Loren Murchison (1898–1979), Olympic athlete who won gold medals in 1920 and 1924 in the 4x100m relay event
* Yisroel Neuman, (born 1947) rosh yeshiva of BMG
* Yerucham Olshin, rosh yeshiva of BMG
* Arthur Newton Pack (1893–1975), naturalist and writer who founded the American Nature Association and the periodical ''Nature Magazine''
* Haydn Proctor (1903–1996), member of the New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232,225 (2020 figure ...
* Yosef Reinman, rabbi and author who has written about inter-community dialogue within Judaism
* Richard Roberts (born 1957), pharmaceutical executive, philanthropist and political activist
* John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller Sr. (July 8, 1839 – May 23, 1937) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He was one of the List of richest Americans in history, wealthiest Americans of all time and one of the richest people in modern hist ...
(1839–1937), industrialist and philanthropist, had an estate in Lakewood, as well as other homes in Ohio, New York, and Florida. His family donated a large tract of land it owned in Lakewood to Ocean County, where the County built the current Ocean County Park on Route 88, Lakewood
* Allen Rothenberg (born 1951), president of the National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs (COLPA)
* Eliezer Schindler (1892-1957), writer, poet, activist and missionary
* Robert Schmertz (1926–1975), founder and CEO of Leisure Technology Corp. and former owner of the Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (N ...
and Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...
* Dovid Schustal (born 1947), rosh yeshiva of BMG
* Armin Shimerman (born 1949), actor, best known for playing the Ferengi bartender Quark
A quark () is a type of elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons, the components of atomic nucleus, atomic nuclei ...
in the television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and voicing General Skarr in the animated series '' Grim & Evil''
* Betsy Sholl (born 1945), poet who was poet laureate of Maine
Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
from 2006 to 2011
* Arthur Siegel (1923–1994), songwriter
* Robert Singer (born 1947), member of the New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232,225 (2020 figure ...
and former Mayor of Lakewood Township
* Sarri Singer, activist who founded and directs Strength to Strength, an organization that supports survivors of terrorist attacks
* J. R. Smith (born 1985), NBA basketball player who plays for Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...
* Lew Soloff (born 1944), jazz trumpeter
* Eli Stefansky, rabbi known for popular '' daf yomi'' shiur
* Yisroel Taplin, author of ''The Date Line in Halacha''
* Penina Taylor, counter-missionary speaker
* Steve Tisch (born 1948), film producer and chairman of the New York Giants
* Harry Lancaster Towe (1898–1991), politician who represented New Jersey's 9th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
from 1943 to 1951
* Marc Turtletaub (born 1946), CEO of The Money Store and film producer and director
* Jake Turx (born 1986), senior White House correspondent and chief political correspondent for '' Ami magazine''
* Charles Waterhouse (1924–2013), artist
* Mookie Wilson (born 1956), baseball player, mostly notably with the New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
Sister cities
* Bnei Brak, Israel, since 2011[Nahshoni, Kobi]
"Bnei Brak gets twin sister; Ultra-Orthodox city in central Israel signs Twin City Alliance with Lakewood, New Jersey, which has large haredi community"
, '' Ynetnews'', May 31, 2011. Accessed March 24, 2016. "The ultra-Orthodox central city of Bnei Brak has found a twin sister overseas – Lakewood, New Jersey, which also has a very large haredi community."
See also
* Jewish population by city
Citations
General and cited references
* Axel-Lute, Paul. ''Lakewood-in-the-Pines: A History of Lakewood, New Jersey'', self-published, 1986 (South Orange, NJ)
Further reading
*
External links
Lakewood Township website
{{Authority control
1892 establishments in New Jersey
Beth Medrash Govoha
Orthodox Judaism in New Jersey
New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zones
Orthodox Jewish communities
Populated places established in 1892
Township form of New Jersey government
Townships in New Jersey
Townships in Ocean County, New Jersey