Jewish Help for Teens & Young Adults
A warm Jewish home in Toms River, NJ where teens and young adults from Lakewood, Ocean County, and across New Jersey find Shabbos meals, mentoring, personal support, and a place to belong — free, judgment-free, open to everyone.
What "help" looks like at the Bunker
Help here doesn't start with an intake form. It starts with a seat at the table. The Bunker of Light is a real family home — Yosef and Sarah Shidler's house on Bunker Hill Drive in Toms River — where any Jewish teen or young adult can walk in and be welcomed exactly as they are, regardless of background, affiliation, or level of observance.
From that seat, the rest becomes possible: weekly Shabbos and Yom Tov meals, one-on-one teen mentoring, guidance for parents, crisis support that brings licensed mental-health professionals into the picture when needed, help finding a job, referrals to the right care, and limited short-term assistance when appropriate.
Who we help
Teens and young adults who feel disconnected — from school, from community, from family, or from Judaism itself. Some come for a hot meal and stay for the friendship. Some are navigating real crises. Some just need one adult who is fully in their corner. Parents, rabbeim, and mentors reach out to us too, looking for a safe place to point a struggling kid toward. Some of our teens would be called "off the derech" or OTD; around this table we just call them ours.
Everything happens inside a structured family home: clear house rules, separate boys' and girls' programs, parental approval for anyone under 18, and ongoing guidance from rabbanim and care professionals.
Where we are and who we serve
Our home base is Toms River, NJ, and we serve Jewish teens, young adults, and families from Lakewood, Manchester, Jackson, Brick, Howell, and communities across Ocean County, Monmouth County, and surrounding New Jersey.
How to start
Reach out however feels easiest — WhatsApp or call 718.781.6405, email Hello@BunkerofLight.org, or send the short form on our contact page. Whether you're a teen, a young adult, or a parent, we'll respond quietly and warmly. There is never a cost.
Frequently asked questions
Does it cost anything?
No. Shabbos meals, mentoring, events, and support are always free. The Bunker of Light is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded by donors and the community.
Do I need to be religious to come?
No. The Bunker is rooted in Jewish values and open to any Jewish teen or young adult, regardless of observance or affiliation. Come as you are.
Is the Bunker for "off the derech" (OTD) teens?
We don't do labels. Off the derech, OTD, at-risk, in-between, frum, formerly frum — whatever words people use, what we see is a Jewish teen who needs a table, a mentor, and zero judgment. That's exactly who the Bunker is for.
Is the Bunker of Light a treatment center or shelter?
No. We are a welcoming Jewish home environment offering mentoring, Shabbos hospitality, personal support, community connection, referrals to licensed professionals, and limited short-term assistance when appropriate.
Keep exploring
One message is enough to start.
Reach out for yourself, your child, a student, or a friend — quietly, warmly, and always free.