Jewish Community in the Valley (Irvine, Inglewood: movies, middle school, university)

[jessemh431]

Originally Posted by reloman123

How is the commute from the places you mentioned from Burbank? How are the public schools? What about Santa Clarita...a few people mentioned this area.

Santa Clarita probably has two Jews...in the same family. LOL. Not a place to be Jewish.

In LA, you really need to make some decisions:

• Strong Jewish population and high prices VS. not so many Jews and lower prices
• Close to Burbank and not as good neighborhoods VS. amazing cities and neighborhoods with longer commute
• Year-round temperatures VS. warm/hot summers and cool winters
• Uber-suburban VS. walkable suburban VS. urban areas with SFRs
• Public schools VS. private schools

My suggestions would be Studio City, Toluca Lake, Sherman Oaks, and Encino. If you don't mind a longer commute, Calabasas, Woodland Hills, and Hidden Hills are my top recommendations.

BTW, if you choose the year-round temps, that's the LA Basin and your commute will most likely be horrendous. The other weather is the San Fernando Valley. Those are the only two areas I would suggest for working in Burbank and being Jewish.

If you're not that concerned about the Jewish population, I would also suggest South Pasadena.

[BennyPhoenix]

Originally Posted by majoun

At MOST Little Ethiopia is between San Vicente and Pico. That's really more Miracle Mile than Fairfax District. That area was sometimes called "Lower Fairfax" in the past. And it's more of a commercial strip than an actual ethnic neighborhood. The resident population is extremely ethnically mixed, much more so than further north.



Correct. Although the boundaries between Fairfax, Miracle Mile, Hancock Park, West Hollywood, and Park La Brea (the neighborhood as opposed to the complex) are pretty hard to decipher. Recently I've heard the Western Fairfax District referred to as "Beverly Grove" - i.e. between the BH border and Crescent Heights - which complicates things further.

The jewish area starts at wilshire and fairfax. There are still jews south of wilshire and fairfax, but not as many as in the past.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by jessemh431

Santa Clarita probably has two Jews...in the same family. LOL. Not a place to be Jewish.

In LA, you really need to make some decisions:

• Strong Jewish population and high prices VS. not so many Jews and lower prices
• Close to Burbank and not as good neighborhoods VS. amazing cities and neighborhoods with longer commute
• Year-round temperatures VS. warm/hot summers and cool winters
• Uber-suburban VS. walkable suburban VS. urban areas with SFRs
• Public schools VS. private schools

My suggestions would be Studio City, Toluca Lake, Sherman Oaks, and Encino. If you don't mind a longer commute, Calabasas, Woodland Hills, and Hidden Hills are my top recommendations.

BTW, if you choose the year-round temps, that's the LA Basin and your commute will most likely be horrendous. The other weather is the San Fernando Valley. Those are the only two areas I would suggest for working in Burbank and being Jewish.

Los Feliz might be another possibility if one doesn't care about schools (as it's LAUSD, unfortunately) - it's never been a predominately Jewish area but has always had a certain Jewish population, and has synagogues. If one could afford Encino or Studio City (in which schools would also be a concern, as those are also LAUSD) one could afford Los Feliz too. It's also quite convenient for working in Burbank.

[reloman123]

Jesse- Thank you for the reply and great information. Some followups. I am not really a practicing jew other than have lived in communities with lot's of jewish people. We are really looking more to live in an area with similar people we live in now then be major involved in a temple etc....Not that anything is wrong with storng temple affiliation and to be honest it's more my wife that feels more comfortable being with "similar" folks.

• Strong Jewish population and high prices VS. not so many Jews and lower prices

I would rather be in a safe community withgreat schools with a lower price, but this relocation will take my wife away from family etc so I my answer here will probably be a stronger jewish population.

• Close to Burbank and not as good neighborhoods VS. amazing cities and neighborhoods with longer commute

I was hoping if I ever changed jobs i would shorten my almost 3 hour round trip communte to NYC. Guess this won't happen here so this one is an easy one whereby i will take the amazing cities and neighborhoods and with that the longer commute

• Year-round temperatures VS. warm/hot summers and cool winters

It's

• Uber-suburban VS. walkable suburban VS. urban areas with SFRs
• Public schools VS. private schools

My suggestions would be Studio City, Toluca Lake, Sherman Oaks, and Encino. If you don't mind a longer commute, Calabasas, Woodland Hills, and Hidden Hills are my top recommendations.

BTW, if you choose the year-round temps, that's the LA Basin and your commute will most likely be horrendous. The other weather is the San Fernando Valley. Those are the only two areas I would suggest for working in Burbank and being Jewish.

If you're not that concerned about the Jewish population, I would also suggest South Pasadena.

[BennyPhoenix]

Originally Posted by King0fthehill

Uh....

OP: If you're so concerned about Jewish life, why not try Israel?

Maybe he's not Israeli?

Would you suggest that those who want to have a catholic life move to Italy?

[reloman123]

Jesse/Majoun- Thank you for the information. One item I would preface is that we are really not practicing Jews but have always lived among those who come out for the holy days. With that said we are really not looking to join a temple, but might just to meet people.
This relocation will take my wife away from family etc so I am trying to duplicate Northern NJ 3000 miles away.
Strong Jewish population and high prices VS. not so many Jews and lower prices
I want lower prices, but like I said above I think I have to duplicate Northern NJ so the answer here is stronger Jewish area.
Close to Burbank and not as good neighborhoods VS. amazing cities and neighborhoods with longer commute. Easy answer here. There are days I commute 90 min each way. I would sure love to shorten that but I would much prefer amazing cities and neighborhoods.
Year-round temperatures VS. warm/hot summers and cool winters. Kind of indifferent here. As I just came in from shoveling my driveway I’d say right now I prefer the hot summers and cool winters.
Uber-suburban VS. walkable suburban VS. urban areas with SFRs. Well right now we live 25 miles from midtown NYC. We probably go into NYC about 4 times a year as a family, but we like to know it’s there. I personally do not like NYC and can’t wait to leave to get home. I guess my answer here would be suburbs but with nice shopping 5-10 minutes away.
Public schools VS. private schools. With the cost of housing difference this must be public. Tell me where I need to live where the schools have the best reputation. Not looking for those with the best grades etc…I’m looking for safest and best rep.
[SIZE=3]Given my answers can you narrow down areas?[/SIZE]

[reloman123]

Hopefully this is more readable

Jesse/Majoun- Thank you for the information. One item I would preface is that we are really not practicing Jews but have always lived among those who come out for the holy days. With that said we are really not looking to join a temple, but might just to meet people.
This relocation will take my wife away from family etc so I am trying to duplicate Northern NJ 3000 miles away.
Strong Jewish population and high prices VS. not so many Jews and lower prices
I want lower prices, but like I said above I think I have to duplicate Northern NJ so the answer here is stronger Jewish area.
Close to Burbank and not as good neighborhoods VS. amazing cities and neighborhoods with longer commute. Easy answer here. There are days I commute 90 min each way. I would sure love to shorten that but I would much prefer amazing cities and neighborhoods.
Year-round temperatures VS. warm/hot summers and cool winters. Kind of indifferent here. As I just came in from shoveling my driveway I’d say right now I prefer the hot summers and cool winters.
Uber-suburban VS. walkable suburban VS. urban areas with SFRs. Well right now we live 25 miles from midtown NYC. We probably go into NYC about 4 times a year as a family, but we like to know it’s there. I personally do not like NYC and can’t wait to leave to get home. I guess my answer here would be suburbs but with nice shopping 5-10 minutes away.
Public schools VS. private schools. With the cost of housing difference this must be public. Tell me where I need to live where the schools have the best reputation. Not looking for those with the best grades etc…I’m looking for safest and best rep.
[SIZE=3]Given my answers can you narrow down areas?[/SIZE]

[reloman123]

Jesse/Majoun- Thank you for the information. One item I would preface is that we are really not practicing Jews but have always lived among those who come out for the holy days. With that said we are really not looking to join a temple, but might just to meet people.
This relocation will take my wife away from family etc so I am trying to duplicate Northern NJ 3000 miles away.
Strong Jewish population and high prices VS. not so many Jews and lower prices
I want lower prices, but like I said above I think I have to duplicate Northern NJ so the answer here is stronger Jewish area.
Close to Burbank and not as good neighborhoods VS. amazing cities and neighborhoods with longer commute. Easy answer here. There are days I commute 90 min each way. I would sure love to shorten that but I would much prefer amazing cities and neighborhoods.
Year-round temperatures VS. warm/hot summers and cool winters. Kind of indifferent here. As I just came in from shoveling my driveway I’d say right now I prefer the hot summers and cool winters.
Uber-suburban VS. walkable suburban VS. urban areas with SFRs. Well right now we live 25 miles from midtown NYC. We probably go into NYC about 4 times a year as a family, but we like to know it’s there. I personally do not like NYC and can’t wait to leave to get home. I guess my answer here would be suburbs but with nice shopping 5-10 minutes away.
Public schools VS. private schools. With the cost of housing difference this must be public. Tell me where I need to live where the schools have the best reputation. Not looking for those with the best grades etc…I’m looking for safest and best rep.
Given my answers can you narrow down areas? Any information is helpful as i need to make a choice this week

[jessemh431]

Originally Posted by majoun

Los Feliz might be another possibility if one doesn't care about schools (as it's LAUSD, unfortunately) - it's never been a predominately Jewish area but has always had a certain Jewish population, and has synagogues. If one could afford Encino or Studio City (in which schools would also be a concern, as those are also LAUSD) one could afford Los Feliz too. It's also quite convenient for working in Burbank.

Oh yeah. I totally forgot about that area. That's a great area as well. Maybe your top choice.

And about your commute, it will not be 3 hours unless you live in southern Orange County or far eastern suburbs of the Inland Empire. From Encino, Sherman Oaks, etc. it will be at the most 1 hour, most likely 30 minutes by hopping on the 101, though that can be clogged up pretty well, you're not that far from Burbank. Hidden Hills/Calabasas/Westlake Village/Woodland Hills would take about 1 hour I bet, which would still be a big break for you, so I would suggest those areas.

So, IMO, go with somewhere in the western San Fernando Valley like WV/HH/Calabasas/WH. Not sure how public schools are, but I think only WH is LAUSD, so you might want private there. I'm almost positive that WV, HH, and Calabasas have their own school systems, but they are expensive. What is your budget?

[reloman123]

The budget is the big issue. Without going through a majot therapy session my hope when relocating was to buy up and sepnd less which we were about to do with an opportunity in Houston a few years ago and Orlando most recently. There are not many more expensive areas then the burbs of NYC but I have found it with this area.

With that said it appears we will be locating the same type of home and perhaps a bit lesser. We'd like to stay well under 7 figures preferably around $800K. is it possible to spend less considering the market?

Private schools are out. Ir private is needed then this is not the right spot or the new employer will need to raise the comp which in this market is not likely.

So we need to narrow down the areas to the best public schools, suburb living with close shopping and Mall but not next door and a few minorhas at hanukah with about an hour commute for the old man.