What's it like for non-lubavs in CH?

amother

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 5:23 pm

I am wondering how one fits in, in CH if they are not Lubav. Would it be a problem blending in? I find the lubav. people exceptionaly nice and kind and down to earth... but am concerned about how an outsider is looked upon. Thanks for the input!

Crayon210

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 5:24 pm

Why would someone who's not Lubavitch choose to live in Crown Heights?

chaylizi

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 5:27 pm

must be the scenery & the good neighbors

Tehilla

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 5:28 pm

kikavu wrote:

must be the scenery & the good neighbors

you moving next door to me my friend? you cool, you cool.

chaylizi

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 5:29 pm

yup, right next door. I always loved new york & ch is my very favorite neighborhood. the parking there is awesome!

Tehilla

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 5:30 pm

ooh I'm excited.

TzenaRena

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 5:30 pm

Quote:

the parking there is awesome!

Do you mean the hakofos at 2:00 am or the ones at 10:30 am?

Last edited by TzenaRena on Thu, Jan 08 2009, 5:32 pm; edited 1 time in total

NotInNJMommy

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 5:31 pm

I think if there's a place to live that is very special, especially b'ruchinyus, it's beautiful for a yid to move there.

There is a lot that's very special about CH, so it doesn't surprise me that someone not of the now dominant derech in CH might want to move there. A few generations ago, there were many different types of yidden in CH.

That said, Lubavitch is the dominant derech in CH, by far now. So someone wanting to move to CH who is not Lubavitch should realize that they might be different in many ways from the majority of people in levush, minhagim, etc. and should decide if they are ok being unique or want to live around others with a similar derech.

chaylizi

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 5:33 pm

TzenaRena wrote:

Quote:

the parking there is awesome!

I was staying by my aunt & uncle in CH & I couldn't find parking anywhere. finally, I found this one spot & couldn't get into it for the life of me. there was some guy walkin g by, so I opened my window & asked if he could help me park because I'm from out of town & had trouble parallel parking. he did it, but he must've thought I was insane.

newlymarried

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 6:01 pm

I live in Crown Heights, and a few times men have offered to park my car for me, when the saw me backing in out trying to get into a place.

chaylizi

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 6:04 pm

everytime I go to new york, I thank Hashem profusely for parking lots.

Raisin

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 6:10 pm

kikavu wrote:

everytime I go to new york, I thank Hashem profusely for parking lots.

we once rented a car when we were staying in ch. between the parking and the snow, it was an exercise in frustration.

to reply to ops question, I think it depends on what type of person you are. But I lived in ch for several years and I think I knew of only one non lubavitch family. Besides for secular yuppie Jewish people (ch is pretty close to park slope) and maybe some non religious immigrant families, I think 99% of the Jews there are lubavitch.

pecan

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 6:19 pm

Lubavitch is made up of all sorts. It's really not that hard to fit in.

Raisin

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 6:24 pm

pecan wrote:

Lubavitch is made up of all sorts. It's really not that hard to fit in.

thats certainly true.

sarahd

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 6:50 pm

I wouldn't quite say that. Most people I know who live/d in CH and weren't Lubavitchers feel or felt out of place and that's why today there are hardly any non-Lubavitchers living there.

bubby

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 7:42 pm

The thing about Lubavitchers is that we mix with all derechs...we are somewhat closed here, but only because this is where the Rebbe was & other Chassidim moved out when their Rebbes left. There's room for everyone here & I do know people who are not Lubavitch who moved here to be closer to their kids & it worked out very well! We will love you! I will be delighted to meet you...but hurry up before we sell up & move to EY!!!

Why don't you come on a "pilot trip"? You can stay with us. Seriously.

chocolate moose

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 9:00 pm

amother wrote:

I ASSUME you're Jewish. One of the unit owners in my building isn't. I'm sure it's harder for her then it is for us. There are various non Jews in the neighborhood - surely you don't mean them, do you ? We have Yuppies new in the neighborhood, and Russians as well.

25 years ago we had many kinds of Jews living here; now, not so much. If you're going to live here, use our stores and send your kids to our schools, you'd need to accept Lub on some level, though.

greenfire

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 9:21 pm

kikavu wrote:

TzenaRena wrote:

Quote:

the parking there is awesome!

lol

I learned to parallel park wonderfully - but when you get so used to pulling in a driveway - you just forget ... I had much a similar story ... and yet another one in a different hood where my sis & niece both stared at me from afar because they were aghast at how I couldn't get into a space ... now here's the good part - there was enough room for 2 minivans not just one ... who could tell What

they were entertained so 8) anyways don't forget I have to drive 493 miles before I try this in exhaustion ...

as for the OP - my dxh was a little more than annoyed in ch because he wasn't lubavitch and found it a little odd that he could learn tayna yet nobody would learn gemarah with him ... go figure ...

anon

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 10:00 pm

I think a consideration would be if you are somewhere along the same "type" of frumkeit. If you're perceived as more "modern" than them, I imagine you'dhave some problems.

amother

Thu, Jan 08 2009, 10:15 pm

OP here

bubby wrote:

Quote:

We will love you! I will be delighted to meet you...but hurry up before we sell up & move to EY!!!

Why don't you come on a "pilot trip"? You can stay with us. Seriously.

Thanks bubby, that's awesome of you. In truth, our dream is to make Aliyah but we can not afford it right now. IY"H bekarov mamash our dream will come true. Hence, I am looking at the possible move to CH as a temporary stop in our galus! CH came to mind, since my dh has many freinds there, and our kids attend ULY in Flatbush, which has transportation from CH. We could not afford any other Yeshiva, and ULY welcomed us with such warmth and ahavas yisrael that we only found in Lubavitch. (other Yeshiva opted to let my son be on the streets because of tuition difficulties!) We respect and honor the Lubavitcher Rebbi, but we do not say "yechi adoneinu". We believe in Mashiach but not neccesarily that The Rebbi is Mashiach, although we couldn't care less who Mashiach is, as long as he comes already!

With great seyata d'shmaya, we have used the Igros Kodesh (my dh got as a gift from freind) and received perfect, relevant answers. The latest came as a wonderful blessing for our future move! with other specifics that have to do with our lives. Few days later, we were approached with an affordable housing opportunity in CH. I have other non-lubavitch freinds who "open Igros" for answers. Maybe it's strange, but we believe in all tzaddikim, gedolim, etc.

Lol, (and crying out loud)... Parking won't be a problem since we don't own a car. And I happen to be the BEST parker ever. I can squeeze a parallel park anywhere!

NotInNJMommy wrote:

Quote:

I think if there's a place to live that is very special, especially b'ruchinyus, it's beautiful for a yid to move there.

exactly!
Thanks for your honest posts. Of course I prefered the welcomes over "why the heck would you want to be my neighbor?" (but the question is valid, so I answered)

So YES , we are Jewish too! (didnt you have to pass an imamother test to get in?)