Maryland - where do we fit?

amother

Plum

Thu, Sep 20 2018, 3:46 pm

We are looking to move I order to lower our expenses. We want to buy a nice house 3500-4000 sq ft., with good size yard for our 2 young children to play. We can spend up to $800,000. (We need extra space for visiting family). I'm right wing modern, DH is more yeshivish. We want nearby (enough) schools for our dd and DS which are zionistic, strong in secular and Judaica. It's important to me that the secular is strong/cutting edge, for example has a STEAM program. Berman Academy has been recommended however the dh doesn't like that it is co-Ed. If anyone can talk abt this I'd like to hear more - like is it coed for ALL subjects? Is it acceptable for the highschool students to date? (This bothers me). Coed is not ideal for us but I also won't sent to any school which isn't strong academically. We want to live in a low crime area. We want at least 2-3 shuls - including a modern (right leaning) shul to bring kids on shabbos and a more yeshivish place for dh to attend shirim. I want to have enough Jewish neighbors for my kids to be able to have shabbos/yom tov play dates. I need kosher places drivable (under 15-20 min away) - market, a few restaurants, mikvah, etc.

Let me know what I left out.

Potomac, MD was recommend by someone who lives there. I'm from California. We don't have family in the east coast so I want q place where we can make friends - a nice, warm community. I'll add that we need to have wealthy ppl around as my husbands business depends on it - he's a financial planner to wealthy.

TIA!

mha3484

Thu, Sep 20 2018, 3:58 pm

Do you only want to be on the east coast? I know many people who are like you describe in Chicago and it’s suburbs Skokie and Lincolnwood. From what I understand from friends in Silver Spring you either have Berman which is mixed or the yeshivish school. There is not a lot of choice.

amother

Cerulean

Thu, Sep 20 2018, 4:01 pm

amother wrote:

You have the same school options in Potomac as you do in Kemp Mill, which is a neighborhood of Silver Spring. But Kemp Mill would be much more your speed than Potomac and you'd get much more for your money. It would be easy to buy a $3500 square foot home for 800K in Kemp Mill, but not in Potomac.

Of course there is a tension between lowering your cost of living and having wealthy people around. There are wealthy people in Kemp Mill, but not that many. There are many more wealthy people in Potomac. You might want to look into Woodside which borders the Shepherd Park area of DC. People there may be wealthier.

Kemp Mill has very yeshivish, yeshivish lite and modern shuls. Potomac has modern shuls and Chabad. You will find many more frum families in Kemp Mill and Woodside than Potomac.

Kemp Mill, Woodside and Potomac all have low rates of crime.

Berman is co-ed through fourth or fifth grade, except for gym. Starting in sixth grade, boys and girls are separated for limudei kodesh. The Torah School and Yeshiva of Greater Washington separate boys and girls from first grade. I am not sure that the quality of secular education at Berman is much higher than at TS/YGW. Wherever you send your children, you need to worry more about the party scene than dating.

There is a mikvah in Kemp Mill next to the modern Orthodox shul. There is one in DC. There is no problem getting to a mikvah.

There is a kosher grocery close to Potomac and one in Kemp Mill. There are kosher restaurants close to both.

anuta

Thu, Sep 20 2018, 6:07 pm

I live in the area, I think from your requirement s you will be happy living in Kemp Mill and sending kids to Berman

familyfirst

Thu, Sep 20 2018, 8:39 pm

Torah school has your type of family as well. It's a lovely lovely school and the education really is comparable with berman. It has a great positive vibe. I think you'll like it.

$800,000 is a lot for kemp mill. yiur money will go a lot further than in California, from a housing perspective.

There are wealthy people in DC and other parts of Maryland.

Good luck!

amother

Cobalt

Thu, Sep 20 2018, 8:45 pm

I live in Kemp Mill and send to Torah School. I really think you should look into it. The secular is on par with berman.

amother

Plum

Thu, Sep 20 2018, 9:06 pm

Hi. Op here. Thank you for the replies! I haven't been to MD yet so all and any I do is appreciated.

To the amother who asked if we are only looking at east coast ... No, we are open to anywhere in the USA which matches what we are looking for. I haven't considered Chicago nor do I know much about it so open to hearing about that as well. Actually, I'm open to any suggestions which sound like a good fit.

Can anyone describe Kemp Mill and Potomac culture, weather, environment, lifestyle to me? I'm trying to get a picture in my head of it. What's it like on Shabbos/yom tov? Are people friendly and open to making new friends or cliquish? Any info welcomed!

familyfirst

Thu, Sep 20 2018, 9:10 pm

Kemp mill is awesome!
Weather is similar to New York give or take a few degrees either way. People are friendly. Neighborhood is diverse. Have yeshivish, young Israel, Chabad (most comgregsnts are actually modern orthodox), and modern orthodox shul (known as KMS). Great wholesome place to raise kids.

amother

Plum

Fri, Sep 21 2018, 12:02 am

Op here... Thank you again. What is crime like? How safe do you feel in these neighborhoods (day & night)? Low crime is important to us. We want a nice, safe, suburban neighborhood where or kids can play outside with other neighboring kids. Not urban. However, I want to be near city for the culture.

What is the general culture of the greater communities? I love the idea of being near Washington, DC (government). I'm very patriotic & hold a degree in international relations.

amother

Cerulean

Fri, Sep 21 2018, 1:42 am

amother wrote:

There are many smart, well-educated, patriotic people in these communities.

Kemp Mill as a whole is very safe. People who live near Kemp Mill Synagogue often don't lock their doors. Shomrai Emunah Young Israel is near some apartment buildings, and it isn't safe enough there to leave doors unlocked. All kids play outside. Many streets have cul-de-sacs for kids to play in. Kids bike to the pizza store. There's an idyllic Leave-it-to-Beaver feel to the town.