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Northern California



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Teacup9




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 15 2008, 2:35 am
Perhaps this belongs in the moving/relocating section, but I've seen more California talk in this section so here goes...

Can anyone tell me a bit about the communities in Northern California? I am from San Francisco originally, but have lived in NY for almost ten years, and was part of the reform movement and then Chabad there. I know there are two Chabad houses in SF proper. I also know there is a store in San Francisco where black velvet kippa wearing men shop. I know there is the grocery store Oakland kosher and am VERY interested in learning more about the community it serves. I remember Palo Alto/San Jose/South Bay in general having Chabad but am wondering if there are other communities. Sacramento is too far east for my taste. LA is way too south.

Basically my husband and I are discussing (just talking and researching so far) the idea of moving to Northern California. Here are my main interests.
The Berkeley/Oakland or South Bay communities.
Schools?
Does anyone know the name of non Chabad shuls or minyans or some contact information?
How affordable is housing and where exactly are the neighborhoods?
Are there frum businesses?
Does anyone have any personal experience (ie know a man) who has worked in a union trade (plumbing, electrical, contractors, etc) somewhere besides NY and have any advice or experiences to share regarding adjusting hours for Shabbos or time off for yentiv.

Off topic but can someone tell me how to post anonymously? I trust that no one will run and tell my mother that we might move near her and get her hopes up, but it occurred to me while writing this that I may one day want to use that function.

Thanks in advance!
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loveit




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 15 2008, 7:35 am
I think that Palo Alto has a largeish growing community that is not Chabad. I don't have any specific info on it but I"ve heard friends talk about it and I'm sure that there is at least one yeshivish kollel I think.

Hopefully someone on here has more contact info!! I also heard somethig about a kollel opening in SF so maybe there is a small community there that isn't Chabad now.

Good luck!!
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amother


 

Post Tue, Apr 15 2008, 8:13 am
Right under the box you write in, it says yes or no for posting anon.
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bashinda




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 15 2008, 10:01 am
There's also a community in S. Jose that isn't Lubavitch.

There's not a lot of kosher food options available especially if you keep cholev yisroel and/or pas yisroel. There's not a lot of restaurants either. If you live in the south bay or the peninsula there's only one good store AFAIK which is in Palo Alto. There's a bagel store there but if you keep cy they don't have cy cream cheese IIRC. Also it's extremely expensive everywhere but I assume you know that part.

I can't say too much as I haven't lived in the area for 8 or 9 years.
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Hannah!




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 15 2008, 11:16 am
edit

Last edited by Hannah! on Sun, May 04 2008, 3:32 am; edited 1 time in total
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waterbottle




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 15 2008, 1:06 pm
EDIT

Last edited by waterbottle on Fri, Jul 16 2010, 9:31 pm; edited 2 times in total
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waterbottle




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Apr 15 2008, 1:28 pm
Re: Southern California

There are growing communities in the outskirts of Los Angeles. Calabasas has a wonderful shul, a yeshiva etc. Calabasas is on the west end of the San Fernando Valley and about 45 minutes from Los angeles Propoer. Agoura Hills and Oak Park California have very active Chabads with mikvahs, fast food felafel and much more affordable housing. Since houses in LA are at least 700,000 (before the housing slump) young couples are moving to the valley and beyond for cheaper housing. There are more Jewish entrepreneurs who own various businesses, printing, restaurants, contractors. There is also less hustle and bustle in these outskirt places. There is even a sheitel macher in Agoura Hills! There are much better schools in Southern California, as this becomes an issue for many NorCal parents. (many kids send their kids to dorm for HS out of town)

LA is much cheaper to live then NorCal, Kosherfood is affordable and gas, domestic help is cheaper... lots of advantages.
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Teacup9




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Apr 16 2008, 1:56 am
Thank you waterbottle.

My husband and I are considering Northern California so our son can have a good relationship with his grandparents. The plan would be to stay in one of our parents flats while saving for a house. The issue seems to be that even if we saved for two years houses in the south bay are more expensive than in Brooklyn.

I think I'd be very torn about where to live. San Jose seems more us but I love an eruv. While living at home Noe Valley Chabad would probably be our shul, though I worry hubby won't always be up for the walk. It is nice to know he could just head to the south bay on weekdays for shirum.

I know Oakland kosher well, but always wondered what community it served. I thought it might be pretty modern because of an article I read about the orthodox Jews wanting to use bus wires as an eruv and the conservative community being against it. South of the park in SF (richmond? sunset?) is Tel Aviv Market and I am wondering what community they serve.

The next step I guess would be to set up meetings with someone in each community who would be willing to show me around a bit or even host us for a Shabbos during a regular trip where I visit my parents. I am pretty nervous about all this. There are so many pros and cons to leaving I get overwhelmed. And I want to have a plan and be definite about moving before telling my parents and getting their hopes up.

Just for clarification when waterbottle and hannah! write "modern orthodox" that means women wear pants and don't cover their hair except with hats at shul? Or would it be someone like me who does wear skirts and sheitals or tichels but has a television and would go to a musical (but probably not a movie for some reason)? And would I eat a meal from a modern orthodox person's house? I know you wrote that the school has some non religious Israeli children and was wondering if children going there get into situations where they can't go to a classmate's birthday party? That would make me sad. Because I am a BT I am often having to decline invites or being put into awkward situations and while I really value my non-religious friends because of our history together and because they choose to accept me when I "changed" I really don't want to make any new non religious friends (ie kosher and shomer shabbos - I am comfortable with women who don't cover their hair and wear pants). I would like for my child to not have to live with the "burden" of non religious friends until after yeshiva. Maybe I don't know how to be an "out of towner" as my husband, who has experience living elsewhere would say. Sorry to babble. This is a big live decision that we've barely researched and already I'm obsessing.
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