Does anybody here live in Atlanta?

amother

Sapphire

Mon, Apr 01 2019, 1:24 pm

Atlanta is an option for us for relocation. Our kids range from high school to young elementary age. If you had to label us, we're a right wing YU type of family. The community we currently live in is a very small OOT community and the school is dying so we have to strongly look at relocating. Atlanta Jewish Academy appears to be the best fit for us. Right now my kids are in a liberal type of place and while that's not an ideal fit, I'm not looking for a yeshivish environment either. We're in the middle hashkafically.

My main questions:

1. Is the MO community stable? We're in a very not stable place now and it's been very stressful.

2. What is the average class size for each grade?

3. Toco Hills seems like a shlep to AJA in traffic, at least based on google map times. Any comments on carpool stress? It says it can take up 45 minutes each way which seems crazy.

amother

Blue

Mon, Apr 01 2019, 2:50 pm

I don't live there currently but I grew up there and my parents/siblings still live there. If you're a right-wing YU family, AJA may not be the best place. Definitely look into TDSA. AJA was started as a "community" school where everyone could go. As the community grew, the right wing people migrated to TDSA and the left wing went to the reform/conservative schools. AJA has been struggling to find its niche as the MO-school.
The MO community is stable but has a tendency to be more to the left. The MO shul is the Young Israel in Toco Hills and the Rabbi is pretty vocally more to the left of YU. Look up Rabbi Adam Starr. That being said, there are a lot of young families and more are moving in- it's just not the typical YU hashkafa-people are generally either more to the right or to the left of right-wing YU.
I can't tell you average class size but I would imagine its 15-20, maybe a little more or less. Toco Hills to Sandy Springs (where AJA) is definitely a shlep with Atlanta traffic. The good news is you're a little bit going against traffic so it might be shorter. That being said, there are definitely carpools and there might even be a bus that you pay extra for.

amother

Blue

Mon, Apr 01 2019, 3:17 pm

amother wrote:

Thank you! I feel like the "middle ground" is simply dying, perhaps.....

I hear that. I think that TDSA encapsulates the more to the right YU. That's how I would define myself an I would definitely send to TDSA, AJA wouldn't even be an option. Right-wing YU as in covering my hair, husband going to minyan 3x a day. This is standard at TDSA and I would be surprised if even 20 families at AJA fell into that category

amother

Sapphire

Mon, Apr 01 2019, 3:22 pm

So maybe I'm not that far to the right for YU it seems? I see my kids as being more comfortable in a day school versus a yeshiva. I seem them going straight to college after a gap year in Israel. They're also currently used to a very co-ed environment, mainly because of where we live though.

If I had to compare what I'm looking for versus a real life school, I think of YNJ. I'd actually move there if a good job presented itself, but so far that hasn't happened.

Where to TDSA kids go to high school?

amother

Brunette

Mon, Apr 01 2019, 4:38 pm

Tsda graduate here (from about 20 years ago but I still have siblings in the school.)
Tdsa is a huge mix, in the same class you can have some kids whose parents are not fully shomer Shabbas and some kids whose parents are shtark black hat. There all types of hashkafic debates that come up each yesr over different tznious guiddlines or issues like girls who want to learn gemara
The education is Orthodox but caters to all crowds.

amother

Blue

Mon, Apr 01 2019, 5:51 pm

TDSA kids typically go to the separate gender high schools there. The girls go to Temima, which is an excellent school and the boys to Ohr Yisrael, which I don't know as much about. Some of them also go to AJA for high school. However, kids who go to AJA for lower/middle school never go to Temima/Ohr Yisrael for high school. I think its happened twice in 20 years. They don't really build the skills they need for the more intensive Judaics.
As for Temima the majority of girls go to college. Some go to Stern, some to Touro, and some stay local and go to Georgia State. I don't know about Ohr Yisrael but I would think the same.

amother

Goldenrod

Mon, Apr 01 2019, 8:32 pm

amother wrote:

You're all so helpful and I really appreciate it! Obviously we would go look at the community at some point but this is basic background info to tuck away til that point.

I checked out zillow and realtor.com for houses and there's basically nothing listed. Is it just not yet the season? Do people not use realtors because demand is so high?

My husband is from atlanta and we visit often. Everything everyone’s shared so far has been on point. Regarding housing- it’s definitely a thriving market and considered a desirable area even for the not frum. Houses go pretty quick and some people buy fixer uppers and renovate as well

amother

Coral

Tue, Apr 02 2019, 7:31 am

Not from Atalanta, but know people who live/lived there. And I am quite familiar with YNJ. I think TDSA is the way to go. I hear your point about your kids being used to a day school, but I imagine that’s because it was the only option in town. When you have an option of another school, I think you will want your kids to be in a school where they will have some friends that are similar to them hashkafically. Being an OOT school, TDSA has lots of types and will be different that the in town right wing school.

RachelT613

Thu, Apr 04 2019, 1:48 am

amother wrote:

I don't live in Atlanta, but would like to relocate there myself. I went there for a good solid week, including Shabbat, visited the schools and spoke to people. First off, in terms of shuls, Beth Jacob might be the best fit for you because they are not liberal like Young Israel, but yet they are warm and accepting to all kinds of different families. I'm saying this since you mentioned you are not liberal and are more in the middle. Beth Jacob has hundreds of families, and plenty that are in the middle but go and see for yourself what feels like a goood fit. Here are a few more points:
1. Houses are often sold by word of mouth and are off listed but the realtors typically are in connection with the families wishing to move and sell their home. So contact a realtor on your pilot trip to Atlanta. There are many realtors. Just to name a few: Hannah Fleshel, Mark Goldin and Josh Wittenberg. There are many others!
2. Visit all the schools with a list of what is important for you to ask. Also, have the kids go to each school for a day. Plan this ahead of time with admissions office and that way your kids will also get a feel for the school. I heard of MO families who pulled their kids out of AJA (not sure why) and now are happy with TDA (which if you live in Toco Hills is a 3 min drive!) or the kids walk to school. I also heard of the opposite happening so I think a lot has to do with where you hold and what your kids need.
3. I just spoke to someone yesterday whose kids go to AJA and she lives in Toco Hills and she makes the drive. She says it's about 25 min and not an issue.
4. Join a FB group called Frum Women of Atlanta. Will give you access to communicating with women from the community.
5. My impression was positive. I really liked the community and the schools.
Hatzlacha!