Denver - tell me about it

amother

Hotpink

Mon, Nov 19 2018, 3:24 pm

Hi. We are considering a mover to Denver, CO from Los Angeles. Our family is in CA so trying to find a place not too far. I understand there are 3 neighborhoods - which one has a RWMO/Yeshivish or JPF mix? Where are the schools? Where is the kosher shopping, restaurants, Mikvah? Ideally im looking for a (RWMO) school with strong academics, zionistic, seporate genders in upper grades & shomer Shabbos families- what are my options? We have a boy in preschool and dd still home with me. How big/small is the RWMO & JPF communities? Do they mix? How far is the area from downtown? How is the crime and environment/housing? We want to buy a nice house 4 or 5 bedrm with nice yard. Any other info is appreciated. I did search other threads but didn't find much info. Also, we are looking at Kemp Mill, MD if anyone can compare the two areas. TIA!

amother

Purple

Thu, Nov 22 2018, 10:36 am

sounds like you are looking at the East side of denver. I dont live there but have visited family there.
on the east side, there is chabad, rabbi engels shul, there is a mix of MO, RWMO, JPF and a small amount of more yeshivish people.
There is an elementary and middle school there, Hillel Academy. There is also a MO school DAT its called. Also on the east side.
then there is the East side kosher deli, and restaurant, I think its denver's only kosher food store. There is kosher food available in regular stores as well of course, but this is the only fully kosher jewish owned store I believe unless things have changed since I visited a few years ago.
house prices are much cheaper than LA!
look at zip codes 80246 maybe, thats where the kosher deli is.
thats all the info I have I think, I hope someody living in denver will respond with more info.
good luck

amother

Hotpink

Fri, Nov 23 2018, 1:54 am

Thank you for the info! I'd like to hear about the schools. I'd also like to know how the grocery shopping experience is - can you get everything you want/need with one one kosher market & regular stores? I'm in LA where there are many kosher markets so the idea of only one honestly is uneasy for me. But the reality is, we don't keep CY dairy and now I shop at Trader Joes for most items. I'd also like to know how densely populated with Jews & kids the east side is? Like do kids play outside with their close by neighbors on Shabbos? Last question on my mind at the moment - how is it to live in Denver for the older kids when they get to shidduch age and do most kids move away when get married or are many young couples staying in Denver?

amother

Jade

Tue, Nov 27 2018, 8:36 pm

I grew up there.
Greatest community to raise a family!
Community school is hillel academy or dat. Lots of kiruv places around town. housing did just became expensive with denver boom....
google communities up online. people like rochel goldbaum or aliza bulow are big players and nice warm people in the community that can help you.

amother

Hotpink

Tue, Nov 27 2018, 11:20 pm

Op here.

To the amother above. Can you elaborate on your comment "greatest place to raise a family." Can you tell me more with specifics?

Id like to know if there are many organized extra curricular activities for the kids - like sports teams, dance, etc?

Do the older children tend to stay in Denver or move away? Is dating hard if you live in Denver?

How many restaurants are in Denver?

amother

Red

Wed, Nov 28 2018, 6:33 am

From recent experience with Denver, I’d look at MD closer. The community is always in flux and it’s very chaotic with school and shul transitions. All of them are in constant transition.

The east side is where the schools are for younger children and the one deli/fleishig combo, one bagel place, and one pizza place. There is NO Mikvah on the east side. It was closed 4 ish years ago. There is also no beis din. The BY will have a class of 1 girl next year. The MO school has mixed classes all the way up, and there are kids that date. I personally wouldn’t send for these and other reasons, maybe half shomer Shabbos , but you can assess based on your personality/hashkafa.

It’s a very nice place to live, outside of the community. Pay is relatively low and housing is relatively high; low taxes. Trader Joe’s is close and yes, children play outside on Shabbos. Safe area. Zip code 80224 covers most of it. Check Google Maps for some of your questions.

amother

Dodgerblue

Wed, Nov 28 2018, 3:45 pm

amother wrote:

Not OP, but as someone also looking into Denver, could you please elaborate on the community always being in flux, and the schools and shuls in chaotic transitions? I'd be interested in the Hillel school. Also, what do you mean that BY only has 1 girl in a class for next year?

amother

Firebrick

Wed, Nov 28 2018, 6:30 pm

I don't live in denver but I know a different community that got a new elementary principal a few years ago and he was moving from denver. The school assistant principal also moved from denver...I think at least one or two other families came from there as well...which makes me wonder how denver is doing. I think its also hard that its far from the east coast...

FranticFrummie

Wed, Nov 28 2018, 7:31 pm

Denver has a lovely and very strong community.

I have a friend who's daughter was difficult from birth. Strong headed, explosive, and argumentative about everything. Constantly fighting with her siblings and parents. She was lonely, had few friends, and people in the community just shook their heads.

For high school, she went away to BY of Denver and boarded there. The next time I saw her was about a year later, and I barely recognized her! She was quiet, spoke gently, helped in the kitchen and helped with younger siblings, respectful to everyone, and so mature.

She was sweet and funny, always had something nice to say at the Shabbos table, and was a joy to be around. I'd known her for years, and I was blown away at the change that just one year made for her. She's a really special girl, and I think that Denver had a lot to do with that. (And the fact that her parents never gave up on her.)

Now that she's graduated she's in Sem, and will soon be looking for a learning boy. When she's in the parsha I'll let you know!

amother

Red

Fri, Nov 30 2018, 1:22 pm

amother wrote:

I’m not sure how to better explain. The principals/Ravs/heads of schools have all changed over the past couple of years. There is high turnover at the schools. See another post that talks about the staff leaving. That’s from the school you specified. The MO school is far worse (and doesn’t have a Rabbi head of school). Shul splitting, rabbeim not staying, etc. That’s chaotic for families. We had so many friends leave, even those that had been in Denver a long time. IMO, for someone to go there because they grew up there or had lots of family there, it’s understandable. For anyone else, focused on yiddishkeit, I’d say move on. People that are generally most happy there are not those that are fully observant.

amother

Red

Fri, Nov 30 2018, 1:25 pm

FranticFrummie wrote:

Respectfully, I’d say this girls story isn’t about Denver as much as it is about her BY class and teachers, and normal maturity.

Muchacha

Fri, Nov 30 2018, 2:11 pm

East side of Denver: Eiruv, a number of Shuls including MO, mo/jpf, yeshivish, Chabad, sefardi
Kosher grocery, pizza shops, preschool, two day schools.

West side: generally the yeshivish/kollel community: Bais yaacov and a boys yeshiva, a shul, mikvah etc. affordable houses but the area is gentrifying to costa are rising.

Southeast: Aish which is at this point basically a frum shul and community which is a real blend of JPF, baalei teshuva, outreach staff etc. Bigger houses. Eiruv. Big kosher section at local Kong’s soopers. There’s an incredible Chabad preschool not far from this area as well:

Aurora. Bucharian community and shul. Eiruv. Stunning new mikvah. Only 15 minutes from east side ie the day schools/

There are Chabad House communities which are a blend of Jews from all walks of life in many areas of Denver including lone tree (south) cherry creek (central) stapelton (north).