Where can we/should we stay in clifton/passaic?

amother

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 8:24 pm

We are looking to perhaps move to the Clifton/Passaic area and know a couple of people - one we stayed by recently, and the others just had a baby and aren't hosting. The thing is, we don't know where we want to look - at which shul we should visit.

We are a family with elementary school kids. We will send either to Hillel or the Cheder.

The last place we stayed was really nice but much more yeshivish than we are and send to YKP.

We're more JPF - no tv, completely tznius, but no stockings. Dh doesn't wear a hat and works in an academic setting. We're in our mid-thirties.

What shul do you suggest?

amother

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 8:33 pm

Try the Tif (Tifereth Israel). Very friendly, family-oriented shul, yeshivish-modern to JPF crowd (more varied than a lot of other shuls in town). Mix of people with hats and without, most women wear sheitels but no one looks at you funny if you show up in a tichel or hat.

It's sort of at one corner of the frum-populated area, but quite a few members bypass closer options to go there because they appreciate the avirah and the chevra there. The rabbi (R' Aharon Cohen) is very approachable as well as knowledgeable.

http://www.tifereth-passaic.org/

amother

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 8:52 pm

The tif and young israel are the ones that come to mind. I've heard great things about Rabbi Cohen and Rabbi Glasser. Rabbi Glasser really turned the YI around from a shul that was dying out. I'm sure if you contact the Rav they could arrange hospitality for Shabbos. Here's the YI's website.
http://yipc.org/about-us/contact-us/

cbsp

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 10:34 pm

There's also Ahavas Israel
http://ahavasisrael.org/

Rabbi Eisenman is the Rov. You can get a feel for who he is by reading his short vorts:
http://ahavasisrael.org/torah/the_short_vort/

The congregation is diverse and very warm and welcoming.

Welcome to Passaic/Clifton!

amother

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 7:12 am

We live near, and daven at Beis Shalom in Clifton.

Please contact our wonderful new Rav, Rabbi Shulman.

Beis Shalom is mostly made up of young couples, with elementary school aged kids. I would estimate that 75% of the kehilla sends to Hillel.

There is also Rabbi Schwab's shul on Edgewood. Very warm and inviting Rav and Kehillah, but probably a bit to the right of Beis Shalom and older. However, a lot of people choose not to daven there Shabbos purely do to the early start time.

Both shuls and the Clifton area, have what you are looking for.

amother

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 2:22 pm

I'm another Passaic mom who would recommend either the Young Israel or the Tifereth. Both are very warm and welcoming, with dynamic Rabbonim - both Rabbi Cohen and Rabbi Glasser- plenty of families in their 30s, most families send to YBH, have family friends programming like youth groups, kids programming etc.

The two shuls are in different parts of town (about 20 mins walk from each other) The Tif is really on one end of town, while the Young Israel is more in the middle - the young israel is currently in a temporary location (at the yeshiva ketana) because they are in the middle of building a new building, but the temporary location is very comfortable and spacious, and centrally located.

Good luck!

amother

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 2:27 pm

I highly recommend the Young Israel. It is a very welcoming and accepting place with lots of young professional families. Rabbi Glasser is incredible; his shiurim and speeches are inspirational and really speak to you individually, he has a great sense of humor, and is extremely approachable. We recently became a part of the shul, and feel the warmth and friendliness of the shul and larger community.

amother

Tue, Jan 13 2015, 3:40 pm

We recently moved to the "newer" side of town (Clifton and the immediate nieghboring areas of Passaic), which sounds like what you are looking for (older side is generally more yeshivish). We ended up at the shul where most of our neighbors go, which is a shul we were not considering at all in the beginning! I feel like Passaic has so many wonderful shuls with so many wonderful rabbonim, but it does not have so much wonderful available housing -- so I would suggest to first find the right house on the right block for your family, and then you can try out all of the closest shuls once you move. Also, most areas of Passaic are walkable to each other, so even if you end up liking a shul a little farther from your home, it porbably won't be a big deal to walk there!

amother

Mon, Feb 09 2015, 12:57 pm

if you are interested in the clifton area I know of a house that's not yet on the market... They are asking in the 600,000 range. If you are interested in it please pm hashem_yaazor (mod) who agreed to be a go between. Don't want to out my screen name and where I live...