Teens on the Street in Lakewood, NJ
The Bunker of Light literally began with teens hanging around outside a Lakewood kosher restaurant at night. If you're one of them — or you're worried about one of them — this page is for you.
It started in a Lakewood parking lot
One night outside a kosher restaurant in Lakewood, Yosef Shidler noticed a cluster of teenagers with nowhere better to be — our own brothers and sisters, struggling right out in the open. He couldn't un-see it. That moment became the Bunker of Light: a family home in Toms River, twenty minutes away, where those same kids are greeted by name.
Teens end up on the street in Lakewood for real reasons — pushed out of school, out of sync at home, done pretending in places where pretending is the price of belonging. Hanging out isn't a crime. But nights outside have a way of finding trouble, and every kid out there deserves at least one warm door.
What we offer instead of the parking lot
A couch, music, good food, dogs, farbrengens, and adults who don't flinch — every week, free. Shabbos meals and Shabbos beds. One-on-one mentoring, job help, mental-health support and advocacy connected to licensed professionals, and emergency temporary housing when a kid truly has nowhere to sleep. No cost, no judgment, no pressure to become anything.
If you're a parent, a neighbor, or a rav
If you keep seeing the same kids out at night — or one of them is yours — don't wait for it to resolve itself. WhatsApp or call 718.781.6405, or email Hello@BunkerofLight.org. We make connections quietly and respectfully; nobody gets dragged anywhere. Sometimes all it takes is one invitation to a Shabbos meal.
Frequently asked questions
Are you trying to make street kids religious?
No. The Bunker is rooted in Jewish values and open to every Jewish teen exactly as they are. Nobody is pushed, quizzed, or judged — plenty of our regulars aren't observant.
What if a teen doesn't want help?
Very normal. We don't chase and we don't preach — we invite. A teen who won't sit in an office will often come for food, music, and a dog. Trust does the rest, at their pace.
Is there really somewhere to sleep if a teen has nowhere to go?
When appropriate, yes — emergency temporary housing in our family home for a few nights, free. In an immediate emergency, always call 911 first.
One message is enough to start.
Reach out for yourself, your child, a student, or a friend — quietly, warmly, and always free.