Why New York is the best!

Home Forums Local & Neighborhood Issues Why New York is the best!

Viewing 50 posts - 1 through 50 (of 107 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #592601
    myfriend
    Member

    New York has more Yeshivos, Botei Medroshim, Botei Knessiyos, Chesed organizations (Hatzolah, Shomrim, Chaveirim, countless Bikur Cholim, Tzedakah organizations, Gemachim, health services, etc.), Roshei Yeshivos, Rebbe’s, Gedolim, holocaust survivors, and so many Shomrei Torah U’Mitzvos all over the place, than anywhere else in all of Chutz L’aretz.

    (The secular amenities New York is famous for [restaurants, parks, entertainment, easy walking distance to almost anything you need, mass transportation, high paying jobs, etc.] is well renowned and needn’t even be mentioned here.)

    So many former out of towner have, and continually are, making New York there home. And the many various reasons that draw them here is obvious.

    I think the reason New York is the biggest Makom Torah in chutz l’aretz, is because the Yidden of York (England) were moser nefesh their lives al pi Kiddush Hashem, when the goyim wanted to force them to convert.

    Share your reasons why you feel New York is the best makom for a Yid in chutz l’aretz!

    #1133299
    so right
    Member

    Don’t forget almost 24/7 Minyanim!

    #1133300
    WIY
    Member

    Because I live there. Duh!

    #1133301

    LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ROX!

    Hey boring nyers! c’mon-nothing’s like sunny gorgeous california.

    Sit at the beach and take in the breeze and the crystal clear beige sand and the blue crashing waves……yyyuuuummmm!

    Ya and we have a nice jewish community here too! Take a look at the la thread. U nyers r just jealous lol

    #1133302
    mamashtakah
    Member

    But it’s still NOT Eretz Yisrael, no matter how many ” Yeshivos, Botei Medroshim, Botei Knessiyos, Chesed organizations (Hatzolah, Shomrim, Chaveirim, countless Bikur Cholim, Tzedakah organizations, Gemachim, health services, etc.), Roshei Yeshivos, Rebbe’s, Gedolim, holocaust survivors, and so many Shomrei Torah U’Mitzvos all over the place” it has.

    #1133304
    minyan gal
    Member

    Knock, knock. Am I welcome in this thread?? I have a confession to make – I HAVE NEVER VISITED NEW YORK. It isn’t that I wouldn’t like to, but the opportunity has never presented itself. Nowadays when I read travel columns about the expense involved in such a visit, I shudder and wonder if I will ever get there. When I have been able to save some money I may consider a visit, however the number one destination for me is Eretz as I have also never been there.

    #1133305
    Sacrilege
    Member

    I agree with mischeifmaker (dont call us boring!), I think that makes me a hypocrite 🙂

    Don’t get me wrong New York is wonderful (especially if we were including the secular angle), OOT is AWESOME…. especially if its someplace warm, with palm trees.

    #1133306
    ☕️coffee addict
    Participant

    wait!

    what about the Eruv (oh yeah brooklyn doesn’t have 1) (i know it does just no-one holds of it)

    what about filtering tap water (Yaay! fun! can never drink from a public water fountain)

    now on a secular level

    How much do you pay in tolls?

    How’s your traffic?

    still think NY is the best?

    #1133307
    Helpful
    Member

    Absolutely!

    (And LA isn’t even close in either kadosh or secular.)

    #1133308
    NoNonsense
    Participant

    If you want gashmiyus (yes, a minyan and kosher restaurant on every conrner IS gashmiyus), then, yes, live in NY, if you want ruchniyus, move to out of town, where yiddishkeit is not taken for granted!

    (By the way, I grew up out of town but have been living in NY for the past decade, because of circumstance, not choice)

    I remember, when I was growing up, a visiting bachur commented that he sees and has access to more gedolim (visiting this out of town community) then he does in their hometown of NY!

    #1133309
    Helpful
    Member

    There is definitly a lot more ruchniyos in NY than anywhere else outside EY. Including more gedolim, in addition to the other ruchniyos there.

    BTW, minyanim all the time IS a ruchniyos zach.

    #1133310
    Pashuteh Yid
    Member

    In NY unfortunately one can live his life totally anonymously by floating from shul to shul each day and each Shabbos. One never has attachment to a Rav, and often not even to a kehilla and steady group of friends.

    Out of town, one goes to the same shul every day, and gets to know each person in the shul. These become his friends and everybody shares in everybody’s simchas.

    Out of town is usually much prettier than the frum neighborhoods of NY where you are usually so boxed in among tall buildings that you rarely see the sun or trees and grass. Parking is a nightmare, especially with alternate side of the street. Getting from one end of Boro Park to the other can be 45 minutes for about one mile, total. A person I know once used his GPS to plot a route, and it told him to go through BP, as it was a bit shorter. The delay was unbearable. (He should have gone on Ocean Pkwy to the Belt.)

    The quality of life for a secular person is far better out of town than in most frum NY neighborhoods. We only put up with all this because of the shuls, yeshivas and restaurants.

    One other thing is that OOT often there is only one school, and kids from all backgrounds learn achdus and become friends without labeling each group. They don’t even know the difference. The warmth is unbelievable.

    #1133311
    Ofcourse
    Member

    New York has its advantages, but how can the young buy houses there? There’s a reason enrollment in elementary schools is dwindling all over New York, except for Chassidishe Mosdos. The young working (those not on programs) families cant afford housing.

    Also, it works if you dont care about being a speck of sand on the beach.

    #1133312
    AinOhdMilvado
    Participant

    New York is horrible!

    -Most of the year is uncomfortably hot or uncomfortably cold.

    -The taxes (sales, income, real estate, etc. etc.) are CRAZY!

    -Despite the bogus statistics, way too dangerous!

    Yes, there ARE lots of yeshivas, shuls, and kosher food places in New York, but how many do you really need?

    Why doesn’t the frum community get up in mass and move to a better location?!? Ideally, of course to Eretz Yisrael, but if not there, to a place like New Hampshire or another beautiful state with less taxes, less crime, and a better climate!

    I really can NOT figure out why any non-Jew (who obviously does not need the shuls, yeshivos, etc.) would live here if he can find a job elsewhere. Home-wise you can get so much more for so much less in so many other states.

    #1133313
    Ben Torah
    Participant

    New York has amongst the highest salaries in the nation. Hence the higher costs.

    #1133314
    blinky
    Participant

    I live in NY, i guess im not as patriotic as the other posters here…Sometimes its easy to kvetch and complain about certain things, and a great friend of mine (from out of town) moved to NY a couple years ago and said that she loves NY. Where she is coming from, where else is there a grocery on every corner, so many shuls, yeshivohs….It really put me in my place. She is so right, and since then i think before complaining.

    #1133315
    apushatayid
    Participant

    “Why New York is the best!” I don’t know about the best, but it sure beats Idaho and Wyoming.

    #1133316
    NoNonsense
    Participant

    To helpful:

    I think you missed my point. Ofcourse their are more Gedolim living in NY, but how often do you take advantage of that zechus? When these Gedolim go to out of town communities. the yeshivos and shuls make sure to chap arein and have them speak, take questions, and in general, take advantage of the situation. when you know they live around the corner, all too often, you never even get the chance to benefit from the closeness, because you “know” the opportunity is “always” there.

    And I stand by my original assertion, that having a minyan on every corner, at every possible time, is a convenience, and thus a gashmiyus benefit of performing a mitzvah. i think it requires more thought and a bigger committment when you have to plan your schedule around the zemanei tefillah instead of simply running out to catch the next minyan out there!

    We recently hosted bachurim (21-22ish) from Brooklyn for Shabbos.When the topic came up about shidduchim, most of them were hesitant to even consider moving out of town (or dating someone who wants to live out of town). When I asked them why, The only reasons they could come up with were all the minyanim and restaurants at their fingertips. The thought of possibly having to walk 10 minutes to shul on shabbos made them shudder!

    #1133317
    WIY
    Member

    NY is a big place. Some places are nicer and better than others. I live in Brooklyn and like it very much but I think its a bit too crowded there are just too many people here. There’s no denying that as far as Jewish infrastructure NY has anything you can imagine for a Jew who is from any part of the spectrum. Chassid Ger and Litvak can all find their place. Out of town there are far less options and everyone knows everyone. If you aren’t happy OOT its not as simple as just changing shuls and meeting different types of people!

    Now as far as bringing up children, I still think NY has the most options as far as Yeshivos and all that and makes it much easier to find the right niche for your kids.

    In my mind, the only Maaleh of OOT is that things are more spread out and certain locations have better climate. As far as Yiddishkiet goes, NY is the place to be.

    #1133318
    tomim tihye
    Member

    Those who don’t like NY are either perpetual vacationer wannabes or are just afraid of farming:*)

    I constantly point out to my kids how lucky we are to live among so many Jews.

    #1133319
    Sacrilege
    Member

    AinOhd – Brooklyn has low Real Estate Taxes compared to many other places (including OOT)

    #1133320
    SJSinNYC
    Member

    I’ve been to all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and 10 countries.

    New York certainly isn’t “the best.”

    #1133321
    mybat
    Member

    I wouldnt live in NY if you paid me.(No offence to all NYers here)

    The only place that i would ever consider would either be LA or Miami.

    Why do you think that no Mexican Jews go to NY? The life anywhere just doesn’t compare to the quality of life of Mexico. (Maids, weather, etc)

    #1133322
    Sacrilege
    Member

    mybat – Fear of kidnappings…

    #1133323
    mybat
    Member

    Sacrilege,

    After reading the YWN headlines for a few days….. Mexico sounds very safe!

    But we do have too much traffic and pollution. I guess thats why everyone goes to Cuernavaca on holidays and weekends.

    #1133324
    Sacrilege
    Member

    I guess that just goes to show everyone has their own sense of security. People in E”Y will tell you they feel they are in the safest place in the world….

    Where is the Jewish community in Mexico, Mexico City?

    Always wanted to go to the La Merced Market…

    #1133325
    bein_hasdorim
    Participant

    New York is great cuz I live here.

    But please there’s no place like home, Yerushalayim Iyr Hakodesh!

    Yidden! Never forget that!

    With all the mansions, lexus, decent tap water, pizza, & nyc shopping designer clothes, borsalinos w/o gold & gems

    all over, ;-)(tacky much) white shirts that stay white.

    I’m still not here for the long haul, just camping out.

    I wanna go home!

    #1133326
    mybat
    Member

    Sacrilege,

    Yes, Mexico city. But I’ve never heard of La Merced market

    #1133327
    mghanooni
    Member

    As far as raising kids (or adults), NYC can be an unhelpful place for development of middot. Your frumkeit comes with little effort and many of those services, like restuarants, are there to serve and develop your gashmiut. One can be a naval birshut haTorah while being heimish.

    #1133328
    Sacrilege
    Member

    mybat – :O only the biggest market in probably the world!

    #1133329
    yeshivaguy1
    Participant

    I’m a fan of the in between places like lakewood and monsey where you aren’t crammed into a tiny area but they still have enough in town amenities to be enjoyable. You can get a minyan in lakewood almost 24 hours, there are shuls all over the place, and there is a decent selection of restaurants ( at least with the not as fancy places if you want fancy you can go to deal).

    #1133330
    mghanooni
    Member

    Dear Moderator,

    Thank you for moderating my post to a cleaner lashon without changing the ideas expressed.

    MDG

    #1133331
    mybat
    Member

    Sacrilege, sorry never heard of it. But believe it or not I do go shopping for my fruits and veggies to a real market.

    Yeshiva guy I agree about Lakewood. Probably my 2nd choice, before Miami.

    #1133332
    bpt
    Participant

    For all the complaints about NYC, I should point out that with regards to the tolls, leaving town is free, and people PAY to get in, so there must be something worth coming (and staying) for.

    #1133333
    Sacrilege
    Member

    Lakewood isnt crammed?!

    Last choice place.

    #1133334
    yeshivaguy1
    Participant

    depends what neighborhoods. If you want you can live pretty spread apart

    #1133335
    justsmile613
    Participant

    I grew up in ny and love to visit, but realistically buddy, OOT is cheaper, way better quality of life for kids and if you choose an oot city like Passaic, Baltimore Lakewood than you do have everything you need. Im not saying there isnt an amazing abundance of Torah in NY but many oot communities rival it….

    #1133336
    Sacrilege
    Member

    mybat – “But believe it or not I do go shopping for my fruits and veggies to a real market.”

    They have amazing Farmers Markets in NYC as well. Union Square, City Hall, Bowling Green…

    #1133337
    justsmile613
    Participant

    yeshivaguy1 -“I’m a fan of the in between places like lakewood and monsey where you aren’t crammed into a tiny area but they still have enough in town amenities to be enjoyable.” …….i geg to differ about monsey, it is nice but the traffic is rediculous, its like brooklyn.

    #1133338
    SJSinNYC
    Member

    Passaic and Lakewood are OOT? Next thing you know, Marine Park will be OOT>

    #1133339
    Sacrilege
    Member

    Monsey has ridiculous property taxes.

    #1133340
    squeak
    Participant

    BP Totty- By your argument I would have to declare Staten Island to be the shpitz New York because people pay $11 to go in and nothing at all to go from SI to Brooklyn.

    #1133341
    says who
    Member

    Squeak

    Some would agree that it’s the Shpitz bacause it takes you to Lakewood.

    #1133342
    squeak
    Participant

    Some would, yes. Perhaps SItotty would. But would BPtotty?

    #1133343
    bpt
    Participant

    SI as shpitz NY? Ok, you got me there. All I can counter with (and its pretty lame, I’ll admit) is the SI Ferry is free, so in theory, you could still leave at will, should you choose to do so.

    (see, I told you it was lame.)

    And I for one should not be poking fun at ex-NYers, as with almost 99% sureity, my boys will be headed to Lakewood, with me not far behind, once all of them are there. What’s that they say about living in a glass house….?

    #1133344
    mybat
    Member

    So I guess it’ll be lakewoodtotty?

    #1133345
    blinky
    Participant

    No- LKWD Zaidy I”H

    #1133346
    bpt
    Participant

    I was thinking, at that point, something like NJ Zeidy would sum it up pretty well 🙂

    #1133347
    bpt
    Participant

    Thanks – Blinky! I just clicked send, when yours appearded.

    I think your suggestion had a better ring to it!

    #1133348
    blinky
    Participant

    Im flattered:)

Viewing 50 posts - 1 through 50 (of 107 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.