Young Jewish family contemplating moving from Michigan....

[needsomeinfo]

Becca-

Welcome! We are also moving to Austin and looking at the same schools. I am not Jewish, but I am a native Texan and have lived in several cities here.

Will your kids be the only Jewish ones in school? I have no idea. But if you are wondering if your kids will be treated differently, the answer is "no". There might be a few kids who care, but the vast majority would not. I have had several friends that I never knew were Jewish simply because it never came up (just the same as I didn't know who was a Mormon, or an atheist, or a Catholic, or a Methodist until they talked about it). And then once I did, it didn’t change how I viewed them- I just wondered if I should send a Christmas card to them or if that would be offensive. That’s it. It wasn’t (and still isn’t) a big deal.

So, as to kids discriminating against them, I don’t see that as an issue. Granted, some kids are bullies and will pick on anything, from hair color to glasses to weight to religion, but that happens everywhere.

If you are asking if your kids will feel uncomfortable without a lot of Jewish friends in their school, that is a question for your kids.

I hope that helps and again, welcome. J

[nonexpat]

Originally Posted by Becca123

I actually posted a new thread for this and was advised to come here instead so I'm reposting it here. Thanks so much in advance for taking a look.

Hi everyone
We are moving to Austin, TX shortly for my husband's job. I'm excited to be coming to town. Right now, we live in New Jersey and I know we will not have the Jewish community I'm used to here. I've lived other places than NJ before, like Louisiana. Truthfully, we're not very religious.

I guess my question is pretty straightforward and not one I saw answered elsewhere, although I could simply be missing it. Will my kids be comfortable at Westlake High School or Lake Travis High School or should I be looking elsewhere? Vandegrift High School?

I can't find anywhere on City Data where it tells me if they'll be the only Jews in the school.

Would be very grateful for advice!

Having said this, I'm really thrilled to be coming!

We are Jewish and moved to Austin in 2010. We had lived in a suburb of Dallas, which had a fair number of Jews--not like NJ, but many more per capita than Austin.

The thing about Jews in Austin is they are spread out--there isn't one heavily Jewish area. The one neighborhood that has a fair number of Jews is around the JCC in Northwest Austin. The high school, and it's a good one, is Anderson High School. Anderson High School

West Lake definitely has some Jewish kids because we belonged to the reform temple, Congregation Beth Israel, and some of the kids did go to Westlake.

[Becca123]

Thank you so much everyone for your responses. I actually feel really good to hear that they'll be comfortable. I'm getting really excited to come. Well, excited and scared like any big move. Thanks again!!

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by ognend

From what I understand, OP wants diversity. How is she going to get that if she is in a predominantly Jewish area?

OD

are there really parts of Austin that are more than 50% jewish?

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

are there really parts of Austin that are more than 50% jewish?

No, there are no parts of Austin where it is more than 5% Jewish.

[S6Sputnik]

You guys are not getting the important part.... You can buy Vernors at HEB .

There are plenty of people from all sorts of places like me I am a Danish, Arizona, Michigan.. Austinite! You'll just be a normal Austin family!

[thomajf0]

I honestly knew 1 jew growing up in Austin; as for Persians, I still do not know any. I went to college at a private episcopal school- where we had 2 jews, about as many as I knew going through public school for 12 years in Austin. I'm very unfamiliar with jews in Austin or in general. I think a lot live in Northwest hills.