Chestnut area in Lakewood

Tue, Feb 03 2015, 11:25 pm

We are trying to research this neighborhood, but, despite living in Lakewood for almost 7 years, we only know one person who lives there. She rents, and tells me that the crowd is more upper-class, NY-type. We are very much out of towners and looking for a yeshivish working area. Right now we are in Westgate and love the no-pressure, low financial standard atmosphere.
Can anyone tell me more about this area? Why didn't it "take off" like the other neighborhoods in Lakewood, as evidenced by the still-low real estate prices?
Thanks in advance!

amother

Tue, Feb 03 2015, 11:35 pm

Raintree sounds like it would be more your style. I don't know about upper-class NYers in Chestnut, but it's definitely a more modern crowd - not that that's a problem, but some of the people living there are "Lakewood rebels" and have an attitude to match. OF COURSE you will find that virtually anywhere, but that's what I've heard from several people who live or have lived there.

ETA: the rav in Chestnut is awesome. That's a big plus!

amother

Black

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 9:14 pm

naturalmom5 wrote:

They need to have their own schools there and a young Israel
Very simple
Most of the people there desperately want to have their own modern community but Lakewood won't let them

Modern as in working and not yeshivish but plain frum, or modern as in half-way off the derech, lax in tznius, into secular things etc?

amother

Black

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 9:18 pm

amother wrote:

I'm not nitpicking but by Lakewood rebels do you mean they may be against the stupid/biased stuff In Lakewood, like issues brought up in "the speech" last week, or rebels against keeping mitzvos properly?

amother

Cyan

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 9:24 pm

amother wrote:

Modern as in working and not yeshivish but plain frum, or modern as in half-way off the derech, lax in tznius, into secular things etc?

"Modern" as in working, not yeshivish, not cholov Yisroel, no stockings, long wigs, movies/hidden tvs. But I would hardly call that "halfway off the derech." It may not be your speed, from the sound of things, but don't go mislabeling a group like that.

amother

Black

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 9:28 pm

amother wrote:

Cyan, thank you for clarification.

Do you happen to know if there are any areas for working, not yeshivish but with stockings, w/o long sheitels or movies/tvs?

amother

Gold

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 10:02 pm

you can be anyone's neighbor but for your husband to find a shul/Rav he'll enjoy try raintree or that neighborhood across from Sunset and James. The prices in those neighborhoods are still normal as well.

One of the reason's chestnut never really too off is because the reputation made it more difficult to get into different schools. New construction is changing that but keep it in mind.

But really if you are nice people everyone will be happy to have you as a neighbor.

amother

Black

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 10:23 pm

amother wrote:

True you can be a good neighbor but you have to be cautious if you have kids that are bound to be influenced by their surroundings, both by adults and peers.

amother

Papaya

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 10:56 pm

I dont live in chestnut. I live in a neighboring neighborhood. My husband davens in chestnut as he realy likes rabbi greenfield. As ppl have said he is realy amazing. Ive heard R Greenfield speek and have been very impressed with him. I dont go to shul except for sometimes over yt. This past rh I realy got to see the crowd there as the shul just expanded and I went for davening. This was my first rh in chestnut shul, and I saw what my husband has been saying how 'there is a contest in chestnut which lady can wear the shortest skirt'(unfortunatly) it was a big relief when most woman left after shofar. Majoraty is a very flatbushy/long islandy balabatish/modern/american crowd with a sprinkling of bt/ out of town/missfits/rebels. Not thr kind of crowd you would think would want to live in lakewood. But it really is not everyone. There are some very nice people/blocks in chestnut. Evergreen, idalia and tiffany are some blocks that I know some very nice people living on and would say they fit your catigagory of working yeshivish. But the neighborhood doesnt carry a very good name because of the majoraty living there. I really wasnt happy at first when my husband started davening there but I can understand what my husband likes so much about the rav. I am hesitant though with my children going there. This shul is sfard. There is also an ashkenaz shul and another shul in a basement and R babads shul I believe . I dont know anything about them though. Good luck neighborhood shopping....

amother

Cyan

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 11:07 pm

amother wrote:

Cyan, thank you for clarification.

Do you happen to know if there are any areas for working, not yeshivish but with stockings, w/o long sheitels or movies/tvs?

That would be me Very Happy

We are thinking of buying in Arlington, I hear it's a very mixed crowd.

But I think raintree fits your bill. We are not looking to buy there because my husband doesn't like it for some reason.

amother

Black

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 11:17 pm

amother wrote:

That would be me Very Happy

We are thinking of buying in Arlington, I hear it's a very mixed crowd.

But I think raintree fits your bill. We are not looking to buy there because my husband doesn't like it for some reason.

Are we related?! We are not looking in Raintree either because my husband doesn't like it "for some reason". I think it's the proximity of non-desirable elements that keeps him away.

But I live close to Arlington. Are you sure it's not yeshivish?? I mean, Arlington per se seems to be a more well-off crowd (working I assume?) but I wouldn't say it feels out-of-townish at all. Also, I don't have an impression that it is a low-key area at all.
However, tons of people in the area seem to be the real yeshivish, Forest Park that's right there is one example. Though Forest Park is relatively low pressure.

Guys in the know, please correct me if I'm wrong.
I don't want to mislead anyone.

amother

Cyan

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 11:28 pm

amother wrote:

A lot of the older Arlington people are yeshivish but I think the people who are newly moving in are less so. I also think there are different areas (Ashley specifically) that are less so.
I don't think it's low pressure though. I'm not necessarily looking for that. I don't care if my kids are the only ones wearing gap clothing and I'm the only one without a bugaboo LOL

I'm used to doing my own thing.

amother

Slategray

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 11:38 pm

amother wrote:

Are we related?! We are not looking in Raintree either because my husband doesn't like it "for some reason". I think it's the proximity of non-desirable elements that keeps him away.

I live in Raintree. I'd say the "proximity of non-desirable elements" is more of a concern in Arlington than in Raintree! My block (and surrounding blocks) is at least 75% frum with more houses being sold or put up for sale every day. Many of the non-Jewish neighbors are older, white, non-threatening people.

amother

Black

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 11:39 pm

amother wrote:

I'm used to doing my own thing.

I hear, you must know more about the area than I do.

Is there a button to "like" the poster? lol
I'm also used to doing my own thing but I'm afraid of kids feeling pressured in high-end areas. It looks like at least one of mine, the one that's big enough, is not made out of the same stuff that I am, at least yet. And that kid, possibly others, would want to copy the ways of others or resent me if we don't.

Anyway, I hope it will work for you!

amother

Black

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 11:42 pm

amother wrote:

Oh, forget about it, in Arlington area they are back to back with apartment complexes that very often have police and different incidents there. I don't know how they feel living there is ok.
In Raintree I'm just scared that it seems there are often dogs on the loose and some people attacking those sitting on their own steps - or is it an exaggeration in the news?

ETA: I don't live on arlington proper. So it wasn't a "raintree vs. arlington point, rather why my husband doesn't want to look into Raintree. Otherwise, Raintree sounds like a very attractive option.

amother

Slategray

Wed, Feb 03 2016, 11:46 pm

amother wrote:

There can be dogs on the loose, but it's uncommon. The incidents last summer were all the same two dogs. Nobody's getting attacked on their front steps. Yes, one unsavory neighbor was recently killed in his home (!) but everyone knew that he was sketchy... drug dealing, etc. so we weren't exactly surprised when that happened.

Okay now I made Raintree sound scarier and sketchier than it is Very Happy

It's not any more dangerous than any other neighborhood.