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Philadelphia area - please enlighten



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amother
Hotpink


 

Post Mon, May 11 2015, 10:56 pm
There's a thread live about Rhawnhurst but I'd like a more general view. I am not familiar with this area and would like to learn more about it.

What are the names of the various neighborhoods/suburbs with Jewish communities?
What are the main differences between them?
What can you tell me about the style/feel of the community/ies you know about?
What can you tell me about the cost of living for each? How much would a typical 2-3 bedroom rental cost?
How is the transportation - to schools, to different parts of Philadelphia?
What are the schooling options? What is tuition like? How are the department of ed and the individual schools regarding special needs (within mainstream schools)?
If you live there, what do you like and dislike most about it?
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ima bima




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, May 11 2015, 11:07 pm
I Live in the northeast and am very happy here. If you pm me I can try to give you my perspective
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amother
Hotpink


 

Post Mon, May 11 2015, 11:16 pm
Can you provide some details here please? I find it so hard to keep track of PMs, and this way others can benefit as well.
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amother
Plum


 

Post Mon, May 11 2015, 11:52 pm
I know someone who moved to Wynnewood and is very happy. It's just after Bala Cynwyd but cheaper. Suburban feel.

Just a detail to keep in mind:
Philadelphia, like NYC, has its own municipal income taxes. Some neighborhoods mentioned are within Philadelphia proper. Others are not.
If you work in Philly, it doesn't make such a difference where you live.
But if you work outside of Philly, living within Philly will add another 3.92% income tax

I don't know enough about other taxes to tell you if there's a significant different in property tax or other taxes.

ETA: I saw you asked about special ed. I don't know anything about this, but be aware that different neighborhoods may fall under different jurisdictions, because one is in Philadelphia and one is in a different county. I'm talking literally across the street from each other.
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nylon




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 13 2015, 12:07 am
By mainstream schools, do you mean secular, or Jewish? PA is not as accommodating as NY when it comes to SEITs and the like but some services such as ST and OT are provided with an IEP.

Bala Cynwyd and Wynnewood are both within the Lower Merion School District--one of the best in the state. It's a rich district, however, with the pressures that entails. Because school districts in PA are small, districts contract parts of their special ed to the area Intermediate Unit--the Pennsylvania equivalent of BOCES. If your child needs a specialized, self contained class, they may be bussed to a class in another district in Montgomery County.

I cannot recommend the School District of Philadelphia (which serves Rhawnhurst) if you feel your children's needs cannot be met in a yeshiva or you will need extensive services from the district. The level of chronic dysfunction and the lack of funding are not things that you can overcome.

Cherry Hill, NJ, is also an option. if you work in Philadelphia, NJ credits your Philly wage tax against your NJ state tax. NJ property taxes are higher.

Lower Merion property taxes are high for PA but they do not charge municipal earned income tax. Many towns and boroughs in PA charge this and outside of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh it is limited to 1.5%.

Transportation isn't bad, but you really need a car anywhere in Philadelphia.
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amother
Hotpink


 

Post Wed, May 13 2015, 12:48 am
By mainstream I meant not self contained special ed, milder issues that benefit from counseling, OT, maybe some behavioral support in class that a sufficiently skilled teacher could handle but the school climate would have to be willing to work with your needs, not demand that kids come perfect.

If you're in a yeshiva school, does the district still matter?

When you say a car is needed, is one enough - would it work out for one family member to commute by public transportation while the car is used for family activities/appointments/errands? ( sorry if this is a dumb question, I live in NY with amazing transportation and have no idea what life in car-land is like)
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nylon




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, May 13 2015, 6:38 pm
I don't have personal experience with Politz (the school in Rhawnhurst) though I have heard they are accommodating up to a point. OT may be given by the district and that I can tell you, the criteria they use are fairly narrow, typically things like fine motor goals. You might get a consult or monthly support on sensory needs (to set up accommodations for example) but ongoing therapy is typically private. The district matters for any services they provide such as an OT or speech.

One car would be doable if the person is working in Center City. They can take a bus and train. If they are working in the suburbs, where there are many jobs, they would need to drive.
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amother
Hotpink


 

Post Sun, May 17 2015, 1:48 am
Does anyone else have anything to say about neighborhoods in or around Philadelphia?
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