Middletown and Ofakim form a symbolic bond, laying groundwork for a brighter 2025

By:  | January 24, 2025 |  Features |  Middletown

Middletown Mayor Tony Perry is in a unique position. When you think of sister cities in New Jersey, you may think of a town that you can drive to within an hour – perhaps like New Hope, Pennsylvania and Asbury Park, New Jersey. Mayor Perry, on the other hand, went international. This week, Middletown, New Jersey, officially became symbolic sister cities with Ofakim, Israel.

“I’ve been on the [Township] Committee now for eight years, and I’ve been the mayor for seven of those years,” Perry notes. “It’s been very different over the course of these seven years, as I was sworn in before the pandemic hit. You fast forward until now, and now we’re having international agreements signed here in town hall. It’s been an extraordinary privilege for me.”

The process of this international agreement began in January of 2024. “I traveled with a bipartisan delegation made up of legislators, educators and superintendents, and we traveled three months following the tragic events of October 7,” Perry explains.

The delegation then spent 47 hours on the ground meeting Ofakim residents – a town hit particularly hard by the attacks on October 7. Perry reflects: “To be on the ground was much different than what you can see on the news or read in newspapers. You get a whole new perception of things. It’s a perspective that you feel a ton of emotion in the moment.” In the 12 months since the visit, Perry says that he now has an emotional tie to the visit and to the images that he saw, but what resonated with him most was the people. “What inspired me was the hope and perseverance of people that I got to meet in that short window of time.”

Perry says that 2024 was a monumental year for him, not just politically, but personally, due to the immense amount of travel he was able to experience. He treasures the different ideas and perspectives that he was able to experience and bring back home. One such perspective was that of Mayor Itzik Danino, the mayor of Ofakim, Israel.

“When I got to meet Mayor Danino in his town hall, despite the fact that there was a language barrier between the two of us, the emotional ties we had felt had transcended language. I shared in his grief, and there was an instant connection.”

Following this fateful connection, Perry began toying with the idea of a sister city agreement with Ofakim, attributing it in part to Middletown and Ofakim’s size similarity. With the Jewish Federation of Greater Metro West, the agreement was formed, and in January, “We sealed a bond forever by affixing our names to that agreement to a packed room.”

Perry lauds Middleton’s commitment to its international relations. “Middletown has never been shy about taking a stand on an issue and being at the forefront – being a leader. We want to guide and be an active voice in the state of New Jersey. Why not take the step of welcoming a foreign leader to our town? It doesn’t happen often, especially on an international scale with towns our size – but when has that stopped Middletown?”

Open spaces and more exciting plans for Middletown

This global agreement wasn’t the only milestone for Middletown in the past year. Back in 2020, voters of Middletown voted to increase the open space trust fund for the first time in more than 20 years. The vote passed overwhelmingly, though Perry says that at the time, many were curious as to the specifics of the funding, wondering what exactly was going to be increased. Perry is ecstatic with the results, however: “In 2024, the people of Middletown truly began to see what that investment began to accomplish – that’s going to continue in 2025.” The open space trust fund permitted the dedication to preserving tons of land in Middletown, from River Plaza to Riversink and everywhere in between. 

Historical land was preserved as well. The Murray Farm House, the home of Joseph Murray, an American executed by the British in 1777, was once endangered of falling into the history books, with massive repairs needed. Now, the farmhouse has been restored. “That was because of the investment we made from our open space trust fund.”

More open spaces were utilized, opening a new skate park, a new dog park, and assuring the forever preservation of the Conover Beacon on Leonard Avenue. Additionally, several acres of land were purchased on River Plaza in order to aid pedestrians, as well as students and teachers on their walk and commute to school. “These funds are dedicated to, and cannot be spent on anything else, for purchasing open space, restoring historical landmarks, and enhancing our recreational facilities,” Perry explains.

There’s much more for Middletown residents to expect in 2025 too.

“We put a big push on the celebration of America’s 250th birthday.” Between the town and the county, events have begun to be held for the momentous anniversary, beginning in 2024 and continuing in 2025, with a large priority placed on events in 2026. “There will be a designation of certain sights and signage so that Middletown and Monmouth County can celebrate our rich history. Future generations will be aware of the role that we played in the Revolution.” 

Another advent Perry is excited about that will begin early this year is the Middletown volunteer program, which offers rebates for the massive volunteer force of firefighters, OEM, and EMS in Middletown. “We want to say thank you to the men and women who dedicated nearly 75,000 hours in 2024 for incident response.” 

Middletown residents have plenty to look forward to in 2025 here in New Jersey – but with the accomplishments of the town, the implications are now international.