Author Topic: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live  (Read 914849 times)

Offline WhyAich

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #160 on: January 14, 2013, 03:28:23 PM »
ftfy  ;D
i'm being serious here, lets try to keep on task. obviously money is an issue
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Offline Dan

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #161 on: January 14, 2013, 03:37:38 PM »
I can write what I know about PIT, but it won't be comprehensive.

The jewish community is in Squirrel Hill.  This is one of very few Jewish communities that haven't flocked towards the suburbs.  It's relatively safe for city living, but not nearly as safe as other suburban communities.

Pros:
-A Chabad school from Pre-K through Mesivta, though some may call this a con.  It's run incompetently but there are precious few Chabad schools with English and this is the best of the sorry bunch.  Only highlights IMHO are the 9th grade Rebbi and Mr. J, the social studies teacher.  Many do move here for the school though.
-Not technically in the Midwest (or any other region), but people are much friendlier than on the East Coast.
-Many major cities (Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, NYC, Toronto, etc) are within driving distance.
-A nice growing young community, fueled by natives moving back home.
-Rita's. 'Nuff said :D

Cons:
-Extremely hilly.  Expect to fall in the winter as ice storms can be common. 
-The kosher restaurant scene is non-existent.  Just a mediocre pizza shop and a bakery in the grocery store.
-Job market can be very tough and most of the community is quite poor (hence the dozen restaurant closures in the past dozen years) and rely on housing boarders for the small extra income that provides at the sacrifice of privacy.
-Houses are from the 1800s and often need major repairs and updating.  Housing is cheap by coastal standards but high compared to most midwestern cities.  Rentals are also very high and hard to find.  Many young couples are moving away from Squirrel Hill to Greenfield is search of affordable housing.
-Most houses don't have garages, and street parking can be hard, especially in the winter.
-Pretty limited shul options.
-The Chabad community is run like a small mafia, shlichus opportunities are generally reserved for those related to the head shliach, and there's little tolerance for any dissent.

Any locals care to chime in/disagree?
« Last Edit: January 14, 2013, 03:41:03 PM by Dan »
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Offline Dan

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #162 on: January 14, 2013, 03:38:30 PM »
any concrete numbers?

any discounts if you or wife teach in the school?
I think you'd have to call to get concrete number and discuss discounts.  But, yes, I'm sure there are discounts for teachers.
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Offline SuperFlyer

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #163 on: January 14, 2013, 03:53:00 PM »
Lakewood:
Pro: Lots of kids
Con: Hell to get your kids into any school

Fertile air ?

Offline WhyAich

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #164 on: January 14, 2013, 03:56:54 PM »

-The Chabad community is run like a small mafia, shlichus opportunities are generally reserved for those related to the head shliach, and there's little tolerance for any dissent.

Any locals care to chime in/disagree?

i would just say that although this type of community setup with one top person etc is limiting in a way, it helps create achdus, and helps to create a structured environment. which can help as well. If you have an issue in CH with tuition, the rabbi tells you to go ask the school, the school says go to the board the board says go to... etc. Here you go to one place and get it worked out.
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Offline Dan

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #165 on: January 14, 2013, 03:59:38 PM »
it helps create achdus

Achdus in PIT?
There have been multiple chabad families forced to move out of the community and many who daven at non-chabad shuls for not obeying the party line.

What is created is resentment against the ruling class and the small handful of major g'virim and that is quite palpable when you speak to the locals in hushed voices.
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Offline jj1000

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #166 on: January 14, 2013, 04:00:27 PM »
i would just say that although this type of community setup with one top person etc is limiting in a way, it helps create achdus, and helps to create a structured environment. which can help as well. If you have an issue in CH with tuition, the rabbi tells you to go ask the school, the school says go to the board the board says go to... etc. Here you go to one place and get it worked out.
The community in general including litvish is very bi'achdus compared to basically any other city I know. Twice a year the 3 shuls all get together at one shul and the Rabbi of another shul gives a sermon, shabbos hagadol and shabbos shuva iirc.
Achdus in PIT?
There have been multiple chabad families forced to move out of the community and many who daven at non-chabad shuls for not obeying the party line.
Meh, its still achdus, and if your not in it your out.
« Last Edit: January 14, 2013, 04:10:26 PM by jj1000 »
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Offline Dan

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #167 on: January 14, 2013, 04:02:04 PM »
The community in general including litvish is very bi'achdus compared to basically any other city I know. Twice a year the 3 shuls all get together at one shul and the Rabbi of another girl gives a sermon, shabbos hagadol and shabbos shuva iirc.
True, but that has to do with Chabad comprising over 50% of the jewish community.  No other frum community besides Crown Heights has those numbers, so it's hard to marginalize chabad there.  In fact when other shuls hire a rabbi they make sure they will get along with chabad.
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Offline WhyAich

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #168 on: January 14, 2013, 04:03:29 PM »
The community in general including litvish is very bi'achdus compared to basically any other city I know. Twice a year the 3 shuls all get together at one shul and the Rabbi of another girl gives a sermon, shabbos hagadol and shabbos shuva iirc. Meh, its still achdus, and if your not in it your out.
+1

obviously you need to conform to certain standards and that's restricting, but on a daily basis you don't get the vibe etc. If you can handle that type of concept (one ruler) then it has many advantages.
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Offline SuperFlyer

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #169 on: January 14, 2013, 04:08:20 PM »

-The Chabad community is run like a small mafia, shlichus opportunities are generally reserved for those related to the head shliach, and there's little tolerance for any dissent.

Any locals care to chime in/disagree?

I wouldn't use the word mafia, but this shlichus opportunity thing is common knowledge also for me non-770

Offline jj1000

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #170 on: January 14, 2013, 04:11:02 PM »
I wouldn't use the word mafia, but this shlichus opportunity thing is common knowledge also for me non-770
he's speaking of pittsburgh specific aside from the shlichus aspect.
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Offline Dan

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #171 on: January 14, 2013, 04:12:33 PM »
I wouldn't use the word mafia, but this shlichus opportunity thing is common knowledge also for me non-770
There's a special machla with Pittsburgh moreso than other places.
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Offline SuperFlyer

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #172 on: January 14, 2013, 04:16:56 PM »
There's a special machla with Pittsburgh moreso than other places.

if so I apologize not wanting to use the word mafia.

Offline Barryg

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #173 on: January 14, 2013, 04:30:14 PM »
Once we're at it shouldn't we add Detroit, Dallas, St. Louis, Toronto, Montreal, Cherry Hill, Phili, Waterbury?
Anyone?

Offline whYME

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #174 on: January 14, 2013, 04:33:11 PM »
There's a special machla with Pittsburgh more so than many other places.
ftfy.
There are plenty of other places which are just as bad in this regard.

(Wow, I just posted something which can possibly be construed as me sticking up for Pitts (and particularly the shluchim there,) mamesh Moshiach tzeiten)
« Last Edit: January 14, 2013, 05:27:35 PM by whYME »

Offline Dan

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #175 on: January 14, 2013, 04:33:49 PM »
(Wow, I just posted something which can possibly construed as me of sticking up for Pitts (and particularly the shluchim there,) mamesh Moshiach tzeiten)
:D
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Offline WhyAich

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #176 on: January 14, 2013, 04:54:15 PM »
Pros:
-Housing is very cheap.


how much is housing in beachwood?
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Offline Dan

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #177 on: January 14, 2013, 04:57:48 PM »
how much is housing in beachwood?
In the Beachwood community people live on the University Heights side or the Beachwood side of Green road, the dividing street on which the shuls are located.

UH houses run from $75K-$200K.
Beachwood houses run anywhere from $150K-$700K.
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Offline whYME

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #178 on: January 14, 2013, 05:22:19 PM »
What am I looking for: Affordable housing, a bit of more quiet, some younger families (20+) for a social life (that they should be interested in growing in yiddishkeit) good chinuch (or at least better than CH)
Good luck with that.
When you find it please let me know :)

Offline Dan

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Re: The Pros And Cons Of Where You Live
« Reply #179 on: January 14, 2013, 05:31:13 PM »
If anyone would like a place to stay for shabbos while checking out CLE I'd be happy to host.  Just give me a couple days heads-up.
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