The People Behind the Bunker of Light in Toms River
Bunker of Light works because the welcome is personal. The Shidlers do not run an institution around their family; their family is part of the mission.
Co-founder & Builder
"The mission chose me. I didn't choose the mission."
Raised in Denver and the first in his family to attend yeshiva, Yosef knows what it means to find a personal way into Jewish life. He is a Chabad chossid and wedding photographer who taught himself construction so the family home could make room for more guests. Yosef is often the first call, the late-night listening ear, and the practical problem-solver asking, “What would help this person take the next step?”
Co-founder & Advocate
"I'll take care of His children, and He takes care of mine."
Sarah spent formative years being welcomed into other people's homes, and the experience shaped the kind of home she wanted to build. She makes safety tangible: food within reach, a bed prepared, a calm conversation, and no demand that someone explain everything before being cared for. She is also a persistent advocate, helping guests and families navigate appointments, documents, schools, care options, and the details that can make a next step possible.
Family, kids & doodles
A family mission — kids, doodles and all.
The Shidler children are not kept outside the mission; they help create its family feeling. They greet guests, share the table, and show that this is a lived-in home rather than a program set. The family's four doodles play a quieter role. Guests describe them as calming companions who seem to find the person who needs a little comfort.
Four very good reasons to relax. 🐶
Guests repeatedly described the family doodles as a calming presence. They wander toward the quiet person, settle nearby, and make a new house feel easier to enter.
Warmth works best with clear boundaries.
The home operates with house rules, separate boys' and girls' Shabbos programs, parental collaboration for minors, and ongoing rabbinic and professional guidance. Bunker is not a clinical facility. When someone needs specialized care, Yosef and Sarah help connect them to licensed professionals and trusted programs.
"Our home is not just our house—it's our family." — Yosef Shidler
Want to meet us in person?
Reach out about a Shabbos, a referral, or a way to help. We will start with a conversation.