By COLlive reporter
By all rights, Yossi and Sarah Shidler should have easily been able to afford a house, in the not so distant future. Owners of a successful business, the young couple earn a modest living, don’t live extravagantly and with just two young daughters, they aren’t paying daunting yeshiva tuition bills.
Yet like so many others in Crown Heights, the Shidler’s found themselves spending so much on rent and day care that buying a house was fast becoming an impossible dream. Faced with a choice of staying forever in a cramped apartment or moving out of Brooklyn, the Shidlers decided to take the plunge and join the growing number of Lubavitch families that call Lakewood, New Jersey home.
Once a small town centered around the famed BMG yeshiva, over the past decades Lakewood has blossomed into a full-fledged city as frum families of all stripes, Litvish and Chassidish, continue to join its ranks. Drawn by the vast infrastructure of conveniences and the affordability of housing, Lakewood has become the fastest growing town in Ocean County. With a current 1,600 new houses in development, the population is expected to reach 300,000 by 2020.
“We were paying a significant portion of our monthly income to rent an older 2 ½ bedroom apartment in Crown Heights and next year we would be paying $1,500 a month for child care,” said Shidler. “In Lakewood, our rent drops over $400 a month for brand new (kosher-designed) five bedroom house. Day care will cost $800 a month less than in Crown Heights.
“This is a substantial savings” reflects Shidler, the total amount could easily exceed $15,000 annually.” “With Hashem’s blessing, we can start a savings fund so that one day, we can purchase a home.”
The Shidlers considered several options as they began to hunt for a new home base. They had heard of small Chabad communities that had popped up in towns like Kingston, Pennsylvania and Hillsside, New Jersey but rejected both.
“One was a bit far and the other still couldn’t offer the conveniences of an established Jewish community,” remarked Shidler. “If we wanted to take our kids out for a slice of pizza it would have meant driving 20 minutes each way. It just didn’t make sense for us.”
Monsey was another attractive option but Lakewood offered an advantage that was hard to resist: a ready supply of houses custom built for Orthodox Jewish families that were available for purchase or rent at reasonable prices.
A brand new 4000 sq. ft. home with 5+ bedrooms on a quarter acre lot with a finished rent-able basement start for around $500,000. Smaller older homes (also on a large lot) start at around $350,000. In Toms River, which borders Lakewood (and is currently home to about 150 frum families, 3 shuls and a Chabad house run by Rabbi Moshe Gourarie) costs even less but sits on 1 full acre, and often includes a pool. A new 5 bedroom house rental goes for around $2,000 a month and a brand new 3 bedroom basement for around $1200 or less.
Still, Shidler admitted that he was hesitant about putting down roots in Lakewood. While there was no doubt that the town had a thriving Jewish community and it gave Shidler the proximity he needed to New York City for his photography business, he had yet to hear of anyone from Crown Heights relocating there.
All that changed one Shabbos when Shidler spoke to a friend who was currently living in Lakewood.
“I was telling him that I have a good business but I still can’t manage to save any money because the cost of living in Brooklyn is so high,” recalled Shidler. “He suggested Lakewood, telling me that there were already about 25 Chabad families there as well as a Chabad shul and a Rov, who is a renowned Talmid Chochom, Horav Nochum Grunwald.”
Sharon Fogel has been living in Lakewood for 13 years and her husband was among the founders of the town’s Chabad shul on Central Avenue (together with Reb Shmulik Rabinowitz), which draws a full house every week. Many of the regulars are not Chabad Chassidim but they enjoy the unique Chabad atmosphere.
Over the years Mrs. Fogel has seen several Chabad families moving to Lakewood and she hopes that the trend will continue. Her children attended local schools during their elementary school years and have moved on as they have gotten older. Fogel’s high school daughter goes to Bais Chaya in Coral Springs, Florida.
Chabad in Lakewood offers a full roster of programming including several weekly Chassidus shiurim as well as farbrengens marking the special days in the Chabad calendar.
With the continued influx of Chabad residents, Chabad of Lakewood plans to break ground for a new shul in the near future and plans to continue offering even more services including the establishment of a N’shei as well as programs for the children.
The fact that there are currently no Lubavitch schools in Lakewood poses no problem, according to a nearby Shliach.
“Before we moved here I called people to find out about the schools and any shluchim within a 50 mile radius were sending their kids to Lakewood for school,” said the Shliach. “They said that the schools go out of their way to make everyone feel at home and that no one felt that they were in any way considered to be different.”
Several Lakewood schools serve the community’s mixed Chasidic population, with dedicated schools opening to cater to particular sects as more Chasidim move into the area.
“There are close to 20,000 frum families here, and they keep coming. Belz already has an entire development and they have their own school,” said Shmuly Mandelbaum, a Lubavitcher who has been living in Lakewood for 15 years. “Rachamstrivska and Skver also have their own schools and if enough Chabad people move in then there is no doubt that there will be a Chabad school here too.”
“While the whole of Lakewood does not have an eruv because of halachic complications, many developments have their own eruv and there are quite a few neighborhood eruvs that encompass hundreds of homes,” said Mandelbaum. “Where I live we can go to the playground on Shabbos with the kids. The kids have a life on Shabbos. The mothers have a life on Shabbos. And you can go out to eat by a friend on Shabbos. It really makes a big difference.”
Designated frum commuter busses from Lakewood to Manhattan give residents the ability to travel to work without having to negotiate traffic, while having a minyan on the bus means that commuters can put their travel time to good use. There is also a frum bus that goes to Borough Park and Flatbush and back about 10 times a day.
Combined with dozens of reasonably priced Kosher supermarkets, restaurants, frum clothing stores, relatively affordable housing and a vast assortment of shuls and schools, Lakewood seems to have it all. A simple pie of pizza is $10 here, compared to a staggering $18 in Brooklyn.
“It’s affordable living at reasonable prices,” said Mandelbaum. “You get the benefits of out of town life plus the advantages of living in an established community.”
Shidler, a native of Denver, embraced life in Crown Heights, the epicenter of Chabad, but both he and his wife are excited to take their place and become part of the fabric of the Lakewood community and hope that others will follow in their footsteps.
“We dream of a Lakewood that has a Lubavitch community of the likes of Monsey,” Shidler expressed. The Shidlers are the fifth Chabad family to move to Lakewood this year and Shidlers business, CJ Studios, will continue its operations out of Crown Heights.
“This is a gigantic move upwards for us,” said Shidler. “We have proximity to the city when we need it, Crown Heights is an hour and twenty at non peak traffic hours. More importantly though, we will finally be able to breathe a little. We will have space for our family, the ability to start saving money and an opportunity to host a lot of guests. Who could ask for anything more?”
There is an area called Havertown where the homes are around 200 K., which is much cheaper than Wynnewood or Bala Cynwyd. It is walking distance from the Wynnewood Chabad Shul.
where they are building two hundred and fifty homes
townhomes homes lake estates
gated community being built now in south florida
A Kosher Pizza store has recently opened in Kingston. So now everyone can relax and move.
Is it possible for Merkos at large to recognize professional shluchim?
A chassidish yungerman who is a working professional (cpa, jd) decides he will move to a town that has a jewish population- not enough to support a shliach; buys a house- is self supporting- converts his garage to a shul- gives a kiddush and shabbos- jli class once, twice a week- and coordinates with shluchim around him.
Has this model been tried? Has there been success?
Morristown NJ is another option not mentioned West Orange NJ is the top secret deal 24 minutes train from Manhattan 50 minutes drive off pick ( or 1 hour 10 minutes ) Very nice neighborhood with beautiful parks , kosher , ? (There is an Eruv for who wants to use it)CLose to MOrristown or Monsey (for Lub chinuch) beautiful new shul , thousand of Jews ( many mivtzoym opportunities) Buy decent houses for 300 k ( obviously a good investment because in such a nice place are going to go up ) You have your beautiful yard , parking… Read more »
1. Affordable housing
2. Low property taxes
3. Large thriving Chabad cheer in a huge building that they own.
4. Huge kosher grocery store
5. Kosher restaurants
6. 3 hour to NYC
7. Huge Community.
8. 4 Chabad shuls
Yes, Hillside does have a pizza store, but that doesn’t make up for its many less positive aspects. 1) Chinuch – There will never be a Chabad school in Hillside, ever. There was and probably will be a small nursery/kindergarten. But there are most certainly not enough families to start even an elementary school and besides, it would be difficult to compete with the Modern Orthodox day school, which already exists and has existed for some 50+ years. 2) 15 families? I haven’t counted, but I think that is an exaggeration. I assume if you are a young couple with… Read more »
The grass is always greener. Make sure you have set income moving anywhere even if housing is cheap! just because housing is cheap does not mean their are jobs available, I’ve learned this from experience! If you can commute to ny your better off, you’ll soon realize that you will not get a ny pay in a small town. Do your homework on schools! Make sure that the community is not just selling you a dream of cheap housing out of desperation for more anash See that the community is diverse I.e not all related to each other in one… Read more »
If you are considering moving to any community, try going there unannounced so that you aren’t sold a bill of goods, and taken on a red carpet tour. Check all aspects of the place; The shaliach, chinuch, Chabad hechsherim, real or fake Ahavas Isroel. , etc etc etc . Go several times. BUYER BEWARE.
I am truly happy with the chinuch and housing in Florida. HOWEVER, please make sure you have a real source of income BEFORE moving down. It is painful to see families who have moved down without doing their math first. Some moved away a year later. The grass is not always greener on the other side.
Move to Walnut Creek, it’s 20 minutes north of North Miami Beach, 25 minutes from the huge Lubavitch school, kosher stores and tons of kosher restaurants just minutes away in Hollywood.
There are over 30 Anash families who call this gated community home. 4 bedroom houses with a double garage go for under 400k
Chabad shul is run by Zalman Korf, a fantastic fellow.
To all those who are crying about Crown Heights real estate, there is something called supply and demand. as long as there is a demand and people are willing to pay, prices can and will continue to rise. i’m not saying every landlord is faultless, but imagine if you were a landlord. if you were able to get more money you would.
The most affordable community out west is Las Vegas. It’s about 4 hours drive from LA and you can buy a house in the 200-300k range. You have to like desert weather. There are several chabad shuls and a chabad run day school.
Beautiful growing community
Great community…5-10 chabad familes…2 chabad shuls (Rabbi Vigler & Rabbi Hendel) busses toball ch schools…10-15 drive to CH…1 family houses approx 5-600k
Getting to the city takes at least a hour and a half.
You can contact Mendel Hoffer. He will give you all the information you need.
https://m.facebook.com/mendel.hoffer
Y does anyone live anywhere, just bec it’s a nice Lubavitch community means I have 2 live there, I like Bklyn, especially WB (Williamsburg) plus in Bklyn u could get around with the Subway & Buses, not in L.A. There are buses & some subways in L.A. but not like Bklyn, that’s y I’m not in L.A. & there are other reasons as well.
Go Check out Cincinnati! yeshiva, montessori orthodox elementary school, school vouchers, dairy restaurant, bagel restaurant, mohel, world renowned Rabbis, inexpensive housing, -Yossi Levy 502-724-9278
We moved nearly 3 years ago to Ramat Beit Shemesh. We are very happy & would not move back to CH. Yes, tuition is lower here, so I am told. We still pay mandatory health insurance, not nearly as much as in US, but I have found the treatment in Israel to be top notch. RBS is a lovely city, lots of Anglos, a large Chabad community which is growing & our neighbors are supportive and helpful. However…. I would be lying if I didn’t say that economically speaking it is hard, especially if you live on an Israeli salary.… Read more »
Moshe Eliyahu. If its nice Lubavitch community, & a frum place in LA why dont you live there? You ever thought of that?
The only solution is for our schools to start producing graduates who are prepared to go on to higher learning and get a real job. So many people are stuck to NY because they have no education and no skills and can only get jobs at local mosdos and business. These things are not transferable to places where they can actually afford to live.
The 40 families are all Chabad. There are very few non-Chabad or secular Jewish families here. Scranton is about 30 min away and has a large Jewish/litvish community.
Tuition is very reasonable but you’ll need to speak to administrators to get a quote for your family. I have been very satisfied with the quality of teachers and education. There are many young couples interested in moving here so they have no trouble attracting and retaining quality staff.
What about Los Angeles ? It has a very nice Lubavitch community, very frum place !!
http://www.chabadinisrael.com
I agree with you word for word, and I am in the same situation. I totally get it – and believe most of us do too.
Your post while raw, and stings, unfortunately it is REAL and the way it is here, chaval!
The way to have things the proper way in the shchune here in crown heights, is to finally start listening to the hoiro’oh of the rebbe many years ago, That Every Single Block in Crown Heights Should Have A Mashpia. So this will bring about that the Grand Parents And The Parents Will Begin Having Som Toichen And Chasidishkait And idishkait And Afilu Mentchlichkait Mit An Emes – Beoifen Pnimi, So The kids will really have who to look up too and whom to respect for Real, and will than want to wish to grow up to look like them,… Read more »
What about the west coast any one know of affordable communities and schools?
Actual lubavitch shuls not chabad houses that cater to the secular crowd?
Great idea to profile lubavitch communities around the world. Not just about unhappy Ch’ers other people would like to find a great community too!
How much is Cheder?
Are those 40 frum lubavitch families? Or you are including modern and secular families to your numbers?
Theatres of Livingston. West Orange NJ is a very good location to establish a Lub community There is not too much right now ( just using Motown or Monsey for yeshivos or hight school) but it’s a very nice and safe place with tens of thousands of Jews There are already like around 15 lubavitche families here there are many very good job and business opportunities , and it’s close to Manhattan , close to Crown Heights You can have a 250 k house or you can have a 10 million house . It’s a great place to make a… Read more »
In early July 2016, a single mother of 3 children, living in the heart of Crown Heights, came home from work on a Friday afternoon, hours before Shabbos, to find that the locks on her apartment had been changed and she was being refused entry into her unit. Upon questioning her landlord, an individual well-known to the Crown Heights Bais Din as a corrupt, scheming property owner, she was informed that she and her children were being evicted from their home. The following Monday, having received a summons to court, the woman learned that a case had been open on… Read more »
There is practically no way for a frum father to compete with the non jewish young professional. The consulting business in NYC is through the roof. The young professional is most probably working on a 1099, whereas the Anash father is working on a w2. The young professional doesnt need a minyan in the morning etc..
Think about this a 6 month consulting gig at 150 hr. A yuppoe and roomate can outpay any young semich kollel yungerman
A young married family has approximately 5 years from the day they get married tp settle in a community and buy a house.
Thats enough time theoretically for a BTL holder to get a CPA. Even with Kollel.
After that tgeir 4 year old is in pre-school and tuition begins.
Moving to a community is like dating look at the facts, dont believe it till you see it (hillside/ new haven school wise).
As tge younger couples who will have kids move out..tuition in CH must rise!!!
I live in Crown Heights and have no intentions of moving out, But if I’m to be honest, this is not the Crown Heights it used to be. The tznius is in dehr ehrd, the kids in the yeshivahs here are on the whole, chutspadik, selfish, not chasidish and ill mannered. The council doesn’t care for the people in the community, ahavas yisroel – friendliness is practically non existant, the storekeepers are out to get your buck and act as though they are doing you a favor by allowing you to shop there (with a few exceptions) Anyone with talents,… Read more »
You are wrong! you don’t make money by bankrupting your own fellow Jews. And that’s what people are doing here. They raise the rents sky high and when it comes to selling the only word to use is CHAZEIRIM! so what’s happening is people are moving out to cheaper and better places and leaving crown heights to the Lubavitcher and “other” chasidishes who are only out for the buck and couldn’t give a darn what happens to the neighborhood, because the only ones that seem able to afford the exorbitant prices are the yuppies who are by and large not… Read more »
We MUST make Eretz Yisroel our true center. We must support the land financially and spiritually. We must work for unity there and here, making the Land central to our thoughts, speech and actions. We must rectify the State of Israel, making it align with Torah, which will save Jews from assimilation. Having guests is great, breathing room, too, but if we don’t do what we are here for, which is to work for making the public policy in Israel match what Hashem wants, we aren’t doing our true mission: ending Galus. When Lubavitchers and Jews who believe in Torah… Read more »
Come to Coral Springs, FL. A flourishing Chabad Community of 150 families and growing. 4 Shuls, day school, Mesivta and girls high school. 4 bedroom houses go for $350k. New development of almost 400 homes going up behind the main Shul.All Chabad.
Can someone talk about on the Chabad communities in Eretz Yisroel? where is a good place to move there??
Would be nice to know what the options are in Israel
Yep. Community is very very very warm. They have a Mens Mikvah, & woman’s Mikvah. With kosher stores…..I was very happy to visit one shabbos. & im considering to move there in the future…..The people the Rabbis & the whole congregation are sooooooo warm!
Pizza is way too expensive 😋
How much is housing? What is Chinuch moisdois? Shopping? Jobs etc like Ami magazine but geared for chabad community.
Um, sorry author, but Hillside has a pizza shop thank you very much. Awesome community, BTW. Not sure why all the people in Crown Heights always whining and complaining don’t consider moving there… Feel free to PM me for more info,
facebook.com/mendysphotography.
Of special note: warm top-quality preschool run by the very talented Mrs. Lazarus.
Lubavitch community growing by leaps and bounds, visitors from CH and all over every Shabbos.
Every frum convenience from Shaatnez checking to playgroups, restaurants (no chabad fleishigs yet!), tznius clothes, bikur cholim, Neshei, you name it.
The girls high school in Morristown closed down several years ago. Many of the students commute to Monsey.
I hearthat Medical insurance covrred…tuition mostly covered…housing in small towns are cheaper…but some of the small towns have all the amenities a lubavitcher would need.. and if you can work for an American company you pay will be good.
Is this true? Can we hear from those who have done this. This may be the real future for all of us.
Lets face it CH is the best place to live for several reasons let say that there are 15.000 anash in CH there is no room for next generation 80.000 ( not too many ppl ,proportionally going for shlichus as in the olden days) Think with a shlichus mentallity, young couples : when you chose a place to move, thing about what kind of difference you can make helping other jews. If you don’t live in CH, dont go to lock yourself into gettho community, just because other ppl live there and having anyways a poor chinuch ,and just getting… Read more »
My Humble Opinion: If you are a lubavitcher, so unless you are sent from the rebbe on Shlichus – Beoifen Shel Isaruso Deletato, so you belong here in crown heights – and this is where you should WANT to be. And if a person C”V doesn’t feel who he is and where he belongs – so it would be the most advisable thing, that he consults his mashpia and his Asei Lecho Rav, And Asks Rachamim For Him Self By The Rebbe – That AL Kol Ponim Mikan Ulehabo – so the oibershter should help him, that he should feel… Read more »
Is it not likely that your children’s tuitions will just be raised by the amount you are saving in housing costs, leading to no real savings for the family?
All those Lubavitchers moving to Lakewood must meet with Reb Aharon Homnick from (Westgate) in Lakewood. Asides for having a brilliant mind, he’s also an expert on Chabad Chasidus and its history. Trust me, a meeting with him is something you will remember forever!
Chabad school to 8th grade, Chabad shul, 2.5 hours to CH. Tuition at 3,000 per child. Housing $250-350. Beautiful neighborhood.
Forget Monsey, (Teneck), West orenge, (Livingston), Morristown, Hillside….What about Edison, Highland park, or East Brunswick??? & the Lubavitch Cheder are in East Brunswick too!!!!!
Forgot to mention that there is a compete makeover in monsey cheder. Also another important thing to know when your thinking about monsey is if you want to be social you have to take the initiative. During the week you don’t walk everything is drive. It can be a mayle and a chisoron. If you are a outgoing type of person then I think you will like monsey. But if you are a introvert and looking for inspiration you might want to give it some thought. I’ve been in monsey for abt 11 years now I love it because if… Read more »
Sima Abenson is a Lubav real estate agent: super professional, efficient and responsive!
She was amazing at helping us understand the different neighborhoods and was a great resource for schools shuls playgroups etc… She helped us find an affordable house in Pomona within 3 weeks!
The other agents we spoke to weren’t chabad and didn’t understand out needs as well as her…
Sima Abenson (718) 877-8745
She’s awesome!!
We are living in Lakewood for many years. My daughters go to school here and they are very accepted. Its a great school and they are treated very nicely and just the same as everyone else. They really enjoy it and what they learn is amazing.They love school, love their teachers and principals. The school has such an amazing chinuch,they learn things on a really high level and they learn to have such good middos.
Hard topic to read about but its a real problem.
Regardless, for many, the need is greater to STAY as the main methods of parnosa remains in the tri-state area.
Obviously, if one can do what he does in another locale then Lakewood is a great option.
A growing Chabad community in 2 areas with a real top quality Cheder for boys and girls. Housing for all financial levels.Supermarkets, restaurants, day camps anx just a couple hrs from CH. Checkout http://www.chederphiladelphia
.org
Plz put out articles describing each of the great chabas communities around….there are hundreds of families in CH being driven out cuz of the greedy few and all info abt all the options out there are helpful!
Sadly, there is no room for a kollel couple here. YOu cant even find a one bedroom!!!! Forget about the price, You just cant find. I rented my basement to a desperate chassan and kallah. I asked the chassan if his kallah would want a basement. he says what can i don, I cant even find a place. And when I gave him a 100 dollar discount to show I support his torah learning, They wrote me a beutiful card and gave me flowers. How sad that we cant even support torah learning. We support YUPPIES! SHAME ON US
That Montreal is also the biggest and the bestest when it comes to snow!
More info please. Housing, property tax etc is it cheaper?
Tuition is on the higher side but if you live in Philadelphia’s city limits there is a lot of scholarship money that you can tap in to. A 3 bed row home ranges from $1,000 – 1,400 a stand alone suburban home starts at about $2,000. The frum communities are Bala Cynwyd/Merion Station and Wynnewood/Overbrook Park.
The best Chabad community in the USA is Chicago. Consistent top notch chinuch k-12 boys and girls, affordable housing $250-$350k, great leadership, what more can one ask for.
The major problem with most communities is the lack of consistently good chinuch for ALL of your kids. Some have a good mesivta but a lousy girls school, some have a great elementary school but a bad high school. Chicago has it all.
I know someone in Pomona who got his house for around 600k. His annual tax bill is 18k and that’s only going to go up over time…
Tuition in Philly is $14,500 per kid, but discounts from the federation and the city reach about $8500 per kid. Not cheap, but manageable.
Rent on a 3 bedroom townhouse in overbrook park is around $1100 but a mortgage on that same house would be about $900 (including taxes)
There are affordable homes in Canarsie, not far from Crown heights. There are 3 chabad families there and possibility for major growth. Homes from $400 – $650 k, 2 morning minyonim and six minyonim on Shabbos. During the year there are 5 building used by Chassidishe yeshivos. Bobov 45 just bought a building for 3 mil a year ago and they use it for their yeshiva.
No one mentioned Staten Island how many Chabad families live there do all children go to school in CH some info please Thank You
I moved to Monsey 10 years ago for Lubavitch community (CH didn’t have that at that time althoughI heard it has become better). The main Monsey LLubavitch area real estate prices has gone up (can’t get below $600k at this point). There is a nice budding community growing about a 5 minute drive North in Pomona. It’s a bit further from the shops and schools but it already has a shul and you can still find homes in the $425-475k range. Keep in mind property taxes start at about $10k and tuition, commuting costs, and even food can be more… Read more »
Great option for young Chabad families looking for affordable living! –Growing community–40 families KA”H with more coming in eveyr month! –Chabad cheder and starting a mesivta this year World-renowned Wilkes Barre yeshiva that has accomplished miracles with bochurim who would otherwise fall through the cracks –local supermarket that sells kosher products, or co-op delivery from scranton. Pizza shop that just opened this week! –Lovely, warm chassidishe community. Not materialistic, no competition over possessions etc. Wonderful caring and loving shluchim (the Pearlmans). –Cheap housing, about $100-150K for a 4 BR 2 bath. –2.5 hours from NY, with easy access to all… Read more »
Motown has only bare bones basic infrastructure shul, mikvah elementary school and that is it!
Hardly any day care, play group or babysitting either unless things changed since I left.
If you move there, you will spend lots of time traveling to CH, Monsey, etc.
I am one of the 20 or so families that have been here for a while. While the community in general are very nice and accepting to all, like most other communities (even in Chabad) there is a small minority of crackpots that thrive on making noise to stir up machlokis. They may be less then 5% of the population but when you are dealing with over 20k adult males, 5% is over 1000. And they have the ability to incite an additional 10-15%. My point is: If Lubavitchers move here and respect the standards they will be welcomed. However… Read more »
Dear went to mesivta in Morristown and my sister went to high school there. Please clarify what you are talking about “no chinuch after grade 8”. I know rabbi Markowitz and Mrs. Goldberg do a very good job.
Montreal has a frum Lubavitch community.
– great boys school (new director and principal )
– great girls school
– young families
– kosher food
– variety of Shuls
– kosher restaurants
– monthly checks from the govt
– cheap rent
– jobs
Please keep the info coming! It is extremely helpful.
I’m surprised no one mentioned Baltimore. I hear there is a nice young community there, a good Cheder, affordable housing, low property taxes and all Kosher amenities needed
Yes there are schools, shuls, everything you need, however the cost of living here is not low! Tuition is much higher than CH,property taxes are insane, and most families need 2 cars to function. Still a great place to live but do the MATH BEFORE YOU MOVE!!
I’ve lived in Monsey for 7 years. I will give the pros and cons. Pros: Lubavitch community is one of the largest in North America (estimated to be upwards of 300 families) and only getting bigger, 6 Lubavitch shuls spread out over 10 miles, excellent lubavitch cheder with over 300 children in attendance and completely separate boys’ and girls’ buildings on separate campuses, 2 excellent lubavitch mesivtas (one more OT style and the other also very serious but with secular studies program), excellent girl’s high school, over a dozen large kosher supermarkets (of which 2 sell real lubavitch shechita under… Read more »
How is school free in Milwaukee???!!!
School costs? Average rent for a 3 bedroom? Where outside Philadelphia does the community live?
I would say Monsey/spring valley/airmomt/Pomona area is larger
Yes. There’s a boys school and a girls school, but not very Chassidish, they need major improvement.
Although, people are working to improve it, but still has a long way to go. Some would say, it needs a complete makeover in the mindset of those running it.
There are several great shiurim in Chassidus in Lakewood. About 5 a week from top notch magedei Shiurim! You can touch base with Rabbis Nochum Grunwald, Chaim Meisels, or Isser Zalman Weisberg. Their numbers are in the Lakewood Cheder list or Smart List.
To all those who are asking for info in monsey, a excellent local lubavitch realtor is Sima Abenson 7188778745
We used her and were very happy with her.
Everyone come to morristown!
Free tuition
Houses 80k-160k
Great community great school 🙂
Cbjmilwaukee.org.
Bh a great Anash community
to all those decrying the fact that people are moving out of crown heights, look around you. what exactly is the attraction here? the rebbe is not here anymore, people are rude, the streets are dirty and smelly, the houses are dark and cramped and unaffordable. And most of all, the schools are dismal.
We live in Monsey and the chabad school are improving every year and you can find a house that is affordable I think Monsey/Pomona is the best option for money and if you need to commute to NYC. Call one of the Lubavitch Realtors to see houses that are available.
Does anyone know which Jewish community is larger Monsey of Lakewood?
Yes. Monsey has a thriving Cheder w/ great rebbeim and over 300 children. Also has a two Mesivtas and one girls high school. Normal homes range between 450k – 650k. There are five Chabad Shuls. And it’s commutable to NYC and Brooklyn. Definitely should be considered.
Once hillside has a functioning school many young couples would gladly leave crown heights.
Hillside currently has about 15 young families besides for a few older families that have been living there for a long time. They have weekly Shuir for men and women.
Hillside is a great option they currently don’t have a school yet however they have all the paperwork for it and are awaiting the towns approval. With no traffic you can get to crown heights in about 45/50 min. We do have kosher pizza store and 2 meat places also you have schools currently which are less then 45 mins drive. So I’m not sure what the writer means when he says that hillside is not a good option.
#40 its defiantly cheaper to live in monsey the Crown heights because of the housing you can buy a home starting at 500K there is a cheder chabad for boys and girls two mesivtas one with English a girls high school over 400 anash family’s spread over 12 miles and 6 shuels the newest hottest area being Pomona and Pomona heights that doesn’t have a chabad shuel yet we have a blog monseychabad.com thats lists the mosdos etc
This story does not leave me with a positive vibe. Reading between the lines, it says that a young Lubavitcher couple was forced to move out of Crown Heights because of greedy price gouging. Is this what it has come to? Chasing our own people out of town in favor of shkutzim so we can pocket extra cash? There is a condo on East New York Ave right near The Market Place that was either sold or rented to a yuppie. I walked past there one Shabbos with my kids in the middle of the day, and saw a party… Read more »
Buyers, Sellers, Renters, just know this is against the Ratzon of the Rebbe. If all concerned would try to be a little less selfish I’m sure the Rebbe would give his Brachas for Kol Tov in the community for everyone. We need to have Bitochon, Emunah in the Rebbe’s words. Many years ago he put a Ban on Lubavitcher’s leaving for other reasons but just as serious!
My husband has his own business still difficult we cant stand paying such high rent and living in horrible conditions its time for a new chabad community for all the younger couples
Please answer: how are the schools there? Chassidish? Lots of us drowning here in CH would love to know more abt neighboring places…and I agree with above posts…those driving up prices are causing lots of yidden to suffer and I don’t envy their olam haba
The point is that you would be in the same boat as if you lived in Crown Heights . Point being that It is not cheaper to live in Monsey and Crown Heights
Affordable real estate, growing young Chabad community, great place to raise kids.
Where exactly is so cheap in the five towns? Bayswater you can barely find a home in the Jewish area and they are very tiny and old or run down. The rest of the five towns is exorbitant prices.
If your looking for a place to stay for shabbas in Lakewood there is a Lubavitch Lakewood Whatsapp group msg 718.781.6405 to arrange
Rentals in CH they are much higher than few years ago , but there are low compared to houses values The reality is that the prices are going to keep going up Only basements are going to be affordable but for a small family you are flood to start thinking about 3000 and up for old apartment If you want to built your future as a family you have to buy a house This is like New York City years ago . You can live there if you bought a house in the old times or inherited or you are… Read more »
You probably own a home here and don’t feel the pains of exorbant rent…trust me… Ppl would love to stay but ppl are being driven out against their will. No choice.leaving with heavy hearts.
In the five towns there is a beautiful Chabad community and the childeren go to the Chabad schools in crown heights with school buses. The houses in Lakewood and Monsey are not cheaper than in the five towns and Lakewood has one of the highest real estate taxes. All that free money in Lakewood has to be paid by someone. Monsey is going the same direction as Lakewood.
where can i find an eruv for shabbes?
Please help me understand if I will never be able to afford a house in crown Heights, why is it relevant what the property taxes are?
There is nothing wrong with getting the most on a sale or a rental. Your not being a “pig” as the seller or renter is also a yid that could use the same money as well. So as the words of the Talmud..”your blood is not redder then mine”. The issue i have are the homeowners / developers who are seeking buyers and tenants outside the community. I understand their temptation but PLEASE….. This is wrong and seems to contradict the Rebbes’s fight to strengthen the community. As far a Lakewood…..If your going to live there you should at least… Read more »
Discouraging situation, unless attitudes, priorities change our community is being harmed.
Morristown has zero amenities of a frum life; shopping, food, etc. And has nothing to offer in chinuch past 8th grade.
Do your homework before moving to morristown.
Which ANASH live in West orange?
busing to ch schools, affordable homes and there are yes very frum families here. If you are modern you will be modern anywhere
What are my options? Where are the Anash communities?
Mazel Tov to the five families who are Living Lakewood you should go from strength to strength happiness and successful we want moshiach now enjoy
I am a sephardic boy who learns in a yeshiva in lakewood and secretly studies chassidus with someone there I hope more people move in and there will more chassidus and we shall be zocheh bebias mashiach tzidkeinoo
In the last few years Lakewood has changed big time. It used to be about 95% Litvish/Yeshivish. But over the last few years it has changed drastically .a ton of different chasidim have moved here Probably close to 25% of lakewood is chasidish these days.
What’s in Hillside?
Let’s not forget that Lakewood is the place were the Rebbi Reyaat”z has planted seeds for Yiddishkeit way before BMG
what are people doing for a living in Lakewood? Houses are already very expensive and property taxes in NJ are a huge expense that never goes away even when the house is paid in full. Chabad of Philadelphia has a choice of communities that are about 25 minutes from a major city (Philadelphia city center) where there are plenty of jobs to be found. The Chabad Cheder is 2nd to none and has improved in leaps and bounds under the direction of Rabbi Mendy Levin. Kosher food is always available and if you want to go see your family in… Read more »
Where is the best Lubavitcher chinuch? That should be the deciding factor. In just a few years you will thank yourself for that decision!
I am a long time Lakewood resident and Chabad is very accepted here. Things have changed from the days when chassdim were never allowed here.
Sadly, there is no room for a kollel couple here. YOu cant even find a one bedroom!!!! Forget about the price, You just cant find. I rented my basement to a desperate chassan and kallah. I asked the chassan if his kallah would want a basement. he says what can i do, I cant even find a place. And when I gave him a 100 dollar discount to show I support his torah learning, They wrote me a beutiful card and gave me flowers. How sad that we cant even support torah learning. We support YUPPIES! SHAME ON US
This is sad, we need to run away from here because we are selling to satmar? because the new owner of my building on crown is pushing out young families like me to rent to ‘alternative lifestyle’ hipsters. Shame on him. The only one who looked at me was dovid fisher when I explained my situation to him. A lof of yidden moved out of the building already.
You will get a better quality of life in monsey but it is way more expensive than Brooklyn. real estate taxes are among the highest in the country and tuition is double of what you would pay in Brooklyn
Lakewood is more affordable but let’s face it, it’s the epicenter of the litvish world. it will be many many years before Chabad would be accepted there, if ever
A House was just sold on Carroll Street, the owner, an African American, was looking for $850,000 to $$900,000, however a local Chabadnick (בשם חב”ד יכונה)broker convinced the owner to go upto $1.4000.000, this way she could take in another couple of Dollars, so that could finance their summer home.
Morristown NJ is another option not mentioned West Orange NJ is the top secret deal 24 minutes train from Manhattan 50 minutes drive off pick ( or 1 hour 10 minutes ) Very nice neighborhood with beautiful parks , kosher , ? (There is an Eruv for who wants to use it)CLose to MOrristown or Monsey (for Lub chinuch) beautiful new shul , thousand of Jews ( many mivtzoym opportunities) Buy decent houses for 300 k ( obviously a good investment because in such a nice place are going to go up ) You have your beautiful yard , parking… Read more »
You cant say its anything like living in crown heights, You may as well move anywhere thats cheaper. What you can get in ch you cant get in lakewood.
Monsey seems like the best best. But I wish there was a way to get good info.
What about opening up a chabad kollel in Lakewood. The newly married couples have such a hard time finding apartments to rent in CH. The average going rent of $1500 a month for a small one bedroom apartment is way too much for a young couple to pay.
Currently there is a night kollel in Lakewood devoted to learning Chabad chassidus and even now has shabbos minyan im and farbrengens every Yama depagra. Heichal Hachasiduss
I feel very very very sorry for the home owners who are forcing lubavitchers out of crown heights by their piggish exorbitant prices for rent and buying, when they will have to give a Din vechshbon to Hashem and the Rebbe! I would not wish to be in their shoes….. They are selling their souls for the almighty grubby dollar!
What’s in Hillside?
Free tuition
Houses 80k-160k
Great community great school 🙂
Cbjmilwaukee.org.
This is where the rebbe gave his brocha
If one is a real believer in the rebbe money won’t matter
Instead of having strong chabad families leaving they should stay here keeping chabad strong
Don’t forget the Chabad Cheder http://www.chedernj.org
Already families from Lakewood commute
There is no Lubavitcher chinuch in Lakewood. An hour and a half drive to Monsey, an hour and a quarter to Morristown, done twice a day is not practical.
it is way to far though. Depends on where you work and what you do
What does a 5 bedroom house go for near Monsey Lubavitch mosdos? To rent? To buy?
I am very interested in hearing more about the Lubavitcher community in Monsey. Is the Lubavitcher chinuch good?
Sad but true more and more yungerleit are being priced out of Crown Heights and being replaced by more affluent goyim.