LA area neighbourhoods and schools. Please help!!!!

amother

Chocolate

Thu, Apr 20 2017, 12:50 pm

Me and my husband are thinking about moving to LA and trying to find out about the best neighbourhood and school for our family. We are definitely not yeshivish but also not modern orthodox. I tihink we are just plain frum jews who follow the shulchan aruch! My husband is a businessman and dress accordingly. I fully cover my hair but wear jean skirts, open toe shoes and no tights. We are both BTs so we still hold on to our secular values. We love going out to restaurants, having driinks with friends, travelling and I love shopping, fashion etc

Right now our boys are in a right wing yeshiva becuase thats the only option we have in our city. Even though we are for typical yeshiva education at the same time we want strong academics and good middos emphasis at schools. Right now we dont have that unfortunately.

We talked to few people from LA and the neighbourhood that came up alot was Beverlywood. And as school options Eliyahu and Yavne. I know Yavne is modern orthodox and has strong academics. But how is the parent body? I dont mind variety of parents as long as the majority is religious. we need a school that focuses on raising real mentches! Eliyahu sounds exciting but then I dont know if it will be too yeshivish for us.

How is Beverywood? Price wise we are very flexible and would like to stay in the city if possible. If you know any people who are like us then please help us pick the right neighborhood for us. Any advice is really appreciated.
1

amother

Wine

Thu, Apr 20 2017, 3:31 pm

Where do you live now?
Beverlywood is extremely expensive. Check out the house prices to see if you can afford to live there. You would probably fit it at adas Torah. Both schools could work for you. They have very different styles so you will need to check them out. Yavneh is more centrist orthodox and you will not have a problem with the way you dress there whereas ohr- eliyahu may expect you to cover your legs etc. from what you wrote, without actually knowing you, yavneh seems like a better fit for you

Amarante

Thu, Apr 20 2017, 3:55 pm

Beverlywood is a lovely neighborhood and is contiguous to the Jewish area of Pico/Robertson.

It's highly coveted even among secular people because it is a little oasis within the city. I have many friends who grew up there and still know people who live there and in Cheviot Hills (the next neighborhood over which is pricier and not frum)

If you enjoy secular stuff, it is really the best of both worlds since it has frum amenities but is on the coveted West Side of Los Angeles and close to most of the main artistic, cultural centers, shopping, reasonably close to Santa Monica and the ocean. Weather is a bit cooler than in the Valley because of its proximity to the ocean.

happyfrum1

Fri, Apr 21 2017, 4:45 pm

Thank you everyone for replying. I know its a pricey area but we are ok with that. I am glad to hear that Beverlywood is really the right area for us. Just talked to someone who lives in Hancock Park and was told that Beverlywood is a more accepting and friendly area which is very important for us.
On the tzniut side, I def cover my legs. Skirts below knees but do not wear stockings and wear open toe shoes. Would I be the only one at Or Eliyahu who doe not wear stockings?
Yavneh sounds like a great school when it comes to academics and extra curriular activities but there is sometihng about traditinial yeshiva system that my hearts longs as well. We will have to make a trip and check both schools out.

amother

Wine

Fri, Apr 21 2017, 5:00 pm

I wouldn't describe ohr eliyahu as a traditional yeshiva at all. Not really sure how to describe the school except that it's a bit out of the box. I am sure you are not the only mother who doesn't cover your legs who would send her kids there, so that shouldn't be the only factor.

I would prefer to live in beverlywood but I know people who would prefer to live in Hancock park. There are nice people in both communities. Beverlywood skews more modern orthodox whereas Hancock park is more "traditional". Both communities have a lot of wealth and that has its pros and cons.

happyfrum1

Fri, Apr 21 2017, 5:38 pm

amother wrote:

Thank you!! thats a relief. Can you try to tell me more clearly what you mean by out of the box? That would be really helpful. Thanks

Amarante

Fri, Apr 21 2017, 5:47 pm

happyfrum1 wrote:

Also, how is Beverly Hiils? Are there areas whrre its more frum than other in beverly hills? What would be the right shul to go to for us there?

Beverly Hills is more expensive than Beverlywood. The homes south of Santa Monica Boulevard are more modest. The homes north of Santa Monica get progressively larger and more expensive. It was deliberately planned that way with the homes south of Santa Monica built for tradespeople of more modest means; the homes between Santa Monica and Sunset larger but still affordable for professionals like doctors and lawyers. The estates were north of Sunset.

Of course now all Beverly Hills real estate is premium in part because the BH school system is separate from LA school district so people can send their kids to the public schools there versus regular LA schools. Many of he modest homes and even the larger homes are bought as tear downs because the actual real estate is so desirable.

Since you won't be using the school system, it might not be worth the premium. Actually there are areas of Beverly Hills that abut Pico Robertson/Beverlywood. There are a lot of Persian Jews in Beverly Hills.

amother

Wine

Fri, Apr 21 2017, 5:55 pm

happyfrum1 wrote:

Thank you!! thats a relief. Can you try to tell me more clearly what you mean by out of the box? That would be really helpful. Thanks

I can't exactly explain what I mean on this forum and I don't send my children there so I probably shouldn't be the one answering your questions about the school. It is definitely not a traditional yeshiva in that it's not one size fits all - they have alternative ways of educating children and working with children who may not succeed in other schools, but I'm sure they also have students there who would also thrive in other schools. I know a lot of families who sent one of their kids there and there other kids to another school because ohr eliyahu was a better fit for that individual kid.

I don't know anyone buying homes in Beverly Hills, so can't help with that. Everyone I know lives in beverlywood, Pico Robertson or east or la cienega or in Hancock park.

happyfrum1

Fri, Apr 21 2017, 6:00 pm

amother wrote:

Thank you!!! if you have other feedback about the school please pm me. At this point any info is much appreciated. Not living in LA, its very hard to understand the pros and cons of each school.

happyfrum1

Fri, Apr 21 2017, 6:38 pm

Amarante wrote:

Wow, I didnt know Beverly Hills was such a big area. On the map it seems like its right next to Beverlywood area. we will probably be renting the first year, and the rental prices of Beverlywood and beverlyHills is not much different for a 5 bedroom house.
Can anyone suggest shuls for us both in Beverlywood area and possibley in the Beverly Hills area?

Amarante

Fri, Apr 21 2017, 6:46 pm

happyfrum1 wrote:

The southeastern part of BH is not that far from Beverlywood. I am not sure of the exact borders but if you are in the southern end like Pico or Olympic, parts do butt up epagsinst each other. It's one of he reasons Beverlywood is so desirable to lots of people because it is close to much of the west side.

BH is a separate city and not just a neighborhood. Beverlywood is a neighborhood in Los Angeles. That's why the public school system of Beverly Hills is so desirable and one of the reasons real estate is pricey. It's like the school systems of Scarsdale or Evanston. But what yiu spend for the house, you save on tuition for afsmipy that uses the public schools. It's not relevant if you are not using public schools or if you are so wealthy that tuition for a private school is inconsequential.

amother

Puce

Mon, Apr 24 2017, 10:10 am

Please visit the schools. I don't know how recent the info people are giving you about LA but I live in LA and have enrolled in YAYOE (Ohr Eliyahu). It is more yeshivish than Yavneh. No TV characters on things, they don't want TV discussed at school etc. very strict about backpacks the kids wear and what designs are on it. when they moved to 3rd street they became much more "to the right".

Check out the schools. All the moms I know who send there cover their legs with stockings, jean skirts are not too common amongst them. Where are you moving from so we have a point of reference?
Also it is VERY hard to get in these days so depending on the grades your kids will be in, that is super important. They only have one class per grade by choice (except early childhood).

happyfrum1

Mon, Apr 24 2017, 10:50 am

amother wrote:

Thank you!! Really apreciate yuo taking the time and writing here. We will definitely come and visit the schools very soon.
I am hearing many things about the schools and some do contradict eah other. Talked to another Eliyahu parent the other day and she made it sound like I would def not be the only parent with no stocking there and said there are women who do not even cover their fully. Not sure how big the school is but it seems like its big enough that not everyone knows everyone.

My kids are in a very right wing school right now where most of the parents are kollel parents. But again its an out of town community so the school is not as strict when it comes to what pwople do in their private homes.

Will have to come and see in person and talk to as many parents as I can at this point.

amother

Puce

Mon, Apr 24 2017, 11:26 am

happyfrum1 wrote:

The school is moving more to the right so it might be a difference of existing vs new families. YAYOE and Yavneh are both the top schools in terms of academics, with yavneh edging out YAYOE.
Yavneh has no rules about what you can do outside of school but the families are more MO than yeshivish. In terms of dress, hashkafa... Moms are split between "skirts don't cover knees" and those who do fully.

Take a tour and find out which school has room for your kids in that grade- especially if it's for this fall. Both schools have one boys class and one girls class per grade. Ohr Eliyahu requires you to send all kids to their school or none (not sure though if they don't have space if they'll accept the others...).

About where to move- La Brea community runs from about Gardner to Hancock Park (June street or thereabouts) and from Melrose to about 6th (6th is extreme edge, most families are before 3rd and there are a few on the other side of Melrose but not many, that's rarer than other side of 3rd). So Wilshire is WAY out there although there was talk of trying to bridge the two communities (pico and la brea) due to lack of space. But that's not happening now. Pico families are moving to crescent heights area to the East (not sure western boundary) and Olympic to 18th, although some are moving past 18th to around 25th (there is a shul on 25th and Robertson). Plus beverlywood and Beverly Hills which is its own discussion. Boundaries are expanding since people need more housing! It used to be no one crossed Robertson. Then La Cienega and now it's Crescent Heights!

happyfrum1

Mon, Apr 24 2017, 12:11 pm

amother wrote:

That was extremly helpful thank you so much. The house is basically by La Brea and the 6th. So from what you are saying it might be jewish enough to consider.

Where do the Hancock families send their kids to? Only Eliyahu or Toras Emes or there are Yavne families as well. Is the whole neighbourghood pretty homegenous when it comes to religious level or more mixed?

amother

Wine

Mon, Apr 24 2017, 12:14 pm

happyfrum1 wrote:

More mixed.
Yavneh is in Hancock park and there are families from the valley and Pico Robertson but most of the student body is from Hancock park