Medjool Dates in Lakewood, NJ | Yeshiva Community Bulk Orders, Rosh Hashanah, Tu B’Shvat

A Town Built Around Learning

Lakewood is unlike any other Jewish community in America. Beth Medrash Govoha — the largest yeshiva outside Israel, with thousands of bochurim and yungeleit learning daily — sits at the center of the town. Around it, a community of more than 100,000 mostly Orthodox Jews has grown over the last 80 years: kollel families in Westgate, baalei batim in Coventry Square, the mosdos and Bais Yaakovs that fill Lakewood’s school day, the rabbeim and mechanchim who teach across the township and beyond.

Lakewood is a community of large families, modest household budgets, and serious holiday observance. Yom Tov here is not a single meal — it is multiple meals across two or three days, often hosting bochurim home from yeshiva, married children, einiklach, and guests. Bulk dates make sense in Lakewood in a way they don’t in many places: a 5- or 10-pound order is normal, not unusual. We ship farm-direct from our family orchard in Sky Valley, California — UPS Ground reaches Lakewood in 3–4 business days — which means an order placed at the start of the week before Yom Tov arrives in time, every time.

The Yom Tov Calendar in Lakewood

Rosh Hashanah

The yeshiva empties for the bein hazmanim leading into Tishrei. Bochurim come home, married children come home, the entire town turns toward the seudos of Rosh Hashanah. Dates anchor the simanim plate alongside apples and honey, the head of a fish, pomegranates, and the rest. The blessing over tamar — that what stands against us should fall away as we eat the date — is one many Lakewood families have said in the same words for generations. Soft caramel-rich Medjools are the right fit. Most Lakewood families need 2–3 pounds for the two-day Yom Tov; larger households, more.

Yom Kippur

Twenty-five hours after Kol Nidrei begins, the fast ends and Lakewood breaks-fast — often beginning with dates and water before the kreplach and kugel come out. The natural sugars are gentle on a depleted system. Three or four whole Medjools per person, with water and tea, makes the transition between fast and meal easier than going straight to a heavy spread. We recommend ordering Yom Kippur dates with the Rosh Hashanah order — they ship together.

Sukkot

For eight days the sukkos rise across Westgate, Coventry, Brookhill, Forest Park, and every Lakewood neighborhood — most homes building, many homes hosting. Fresh fruit belongs to the sukkah table, and dates belong on it. The date palm itself is part of the festival: a single closed palm frond is the body of the lulav. The same tree that gives us the lulav gives us the dates we eat under the schach. Whole Medjools as a centerpiece bowl, golden Zahidi chopped into harvest salads, with enough on hand for chol hamoed afternoons when the children come back from camp or yeshiva.

Tu B’Shvat

Tu B’Shvat is celebrated quietly but seriously in Lakewood. In Bais Yaakov classrooms across the town, in cheders and yeshivos ketanos, in shul programs and family seders, fruit of the Seven Species is eaten and reflected on. Many Lakewood families hold a full Tu B’Shvat seder — four cups, a procession of fruits, brachos and divrei Torah. Dates and date silan are central to that table. We recommend a multi-pound mix of Medjool and Zahidi, plus our date syrup for families running a full seder. Schools and shuls running Tu B’Shvat programs should contact us for bulk orders well before the date.

Pesach, Shavuos, and Every Shabbos

Many Lakewood families use whole dates and date syrup year-round in baking — challah, cakes, kugels, charoses for the Pesach seder, dairy desserts for Shavuos. Dates work as a natural sweetener that’s a single ingredient, no additives, no questions. Year-round bulk shipping is straightforward; many families order quarterly, then refresh before each Yom Tov.

Bulk for Community, Family Size for Home

Lakewood is a community where bulk orders make sense. Big families, big seudos, big yeshiva and Bais Yaakov programs. A standard 1-pound bag is a starting point — most Lakewood families need more.

For all bulk orders above 10 pounds, please reach us directly — we will arrange shipping, timing, and pricing around your event date.

What’s in the Bag

Hand-harvested whole dates from our family farm in Sky Valley, California — the heart of America’s Coachella Valley date country. Single-ingredient. No added sugar, no preservatives, no oil coatings. The ingredient list on every package is one word long.

Naturally kosher. Whole, unprocessed fruit with no additives. We do not currently carry a kosher certification mark — please check with your rav if certification is important for your observance.