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When I buy a home in the future, my dream is to have White, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian neighbors all on the same block! I go to Rutgers and every race and religion under the sun is represented in the student population and we all coexist extremely well. I love it!
My family lived in Livingston for 4 years as non-Jews. We got out and we are glad we did.
First of all, we are Protestants. I felt like the only Protestant in town. The Presbyterian Church in Livingston has about 10 members, every one of them over the age of 80.
The Jewish culture is everywhere. The grocery stores make a bigger deal out of Passover and Yom Kippur than Easter and Christmas. We had a couple of bad encounters with this culture. My daughter was enrolled in some kind of summer program where the Jewish teacher was paying attention to the Jewish kids and ignoring the rest. We also found the Jewish moms at the playground cliquish and unfriendly. No, you can't make generalizations based on a few incidents, but we are much happier where we are now.
I have another post on here "rank my towns" and this subject came up.
FYI - My husband and I are house hunting and we're currently looking in various towns such as, Cedar Grove, Verona, the Caldwells, Little Falls & Livingston.
FYI - We have found a few homes in Livingston that are nice and worth consideration. We are not looking to spend more than $400k so the houses are not perfect in anyway and we are not rich.
So here's the reason for my post, we are not Jewish and I am aware that Livingston is said to be 50%+ Jewish. I am curious about how people feel living there who ARE NOT Jewish? This question may seem weird to some people, but I think its valid.
I am originally from this area but what I know of Livingston is what I remember as a 17 year old.... snobby high school kids, but I'm not really concerned with snobby high schools kids anymore.
Thanks!!
All comments appreciated!
not being Jewish in Livingston is like not being Muslim in Mecca... or not being Catholic in Mexico, either one
This is an absurd thread - and offensive. This isn't a stetl or a Jewish ghetto. The town has as many churches as it has synagogues. It is an extremely inclusive town that welcomes all. There is no stigma to not being Jewish in Livingston, or Catholic, or Baptist. The township and the school board are not run by Jews, nor are the Little Leagues or the supermarkets or the banks.
If you are interested in a town with great town services, a commitment to its school system and to preserving the value of its homes then this is the town for you. If the prospect that you might be living next to a Jew is a problem, then by all means, look elsewhere.
Most Jews tend to vote Democratic, although there are obvious exceptions. There are black conservatives as well, but that doesn't change the fact that an overwhelming majority of blacks vote Democratic. Jews tend to be more liberal in culture though. Mod cut: off topic
Last edited by Viralmd; 12-01-2009 at 05:27 PM..
Reason: Off topic
I'm Catholic and work in Livingston. These gentile xenophobes don't know what the hell they're talking about. If you feel insecure about the market selling kosher foods and there being a deli with corned beef sandwhiches on every other corner, move to Idaho.
I'm Catholic and work in Livingston. These gentile xenophobes don't know what the hell they're talking about. If you feel insecure about the market selling kosher foods and there being a deli with corned beef sandwhiches on every other corner, move to Idaho.
Or one can simply move to about 15 other towns in Essex County. Not every town in New Jersey is a Jewish majority area, nor are they all hubs of multiculturalism. Essex Fells is probably less diverse than your average farming community in Idaho.
My family lived in Livingston for 4 years as non-Jews. We got out and we are glad we did.
First of all, we are Protestants. I felt like the only Protestant in town. The Presbyterian Church in Livingston has about 10 members, every one of them over the age of 80.
And this is a bad thing because...?
Livingston has very few southern Baptists too. So what?
There are plenty of Catholics, but I guess they are not good enough for you either.
I have no problem with people who want to have SOME people of their own faith around, and if that was your complaint about Livingston, I would not be typing a response right now. But you seem to think that you should be catered to just because you are a Protestant. Maybe in your "Protestant towns" you are, but thats not going to play anywhere else. Just because YOU put yourself up on a pedestal, dont expect the rest of us to do the same, because most of us dont really care what religion other people are.
Quote:
The Jewish culture is everywhere. The grocery stores make a bigger deal out of Passover and Yom Kippur than Easter and Christmas. We had a couple of bad encounters with this culture. My daughter was enrolled in some kind of summer program where the Jewish teacher was paying attention to the Jewish kids and ignoring the rest. We also found the Jewish moms at the playground cliquish and unfriendly. No, you can't make generalizations based on a few incidents, but we are much happier where we are now.
The grocery stores certainly dont make a bigger deal of the Jewish holidays. Perhaps they give the Jewish holidays equal billing. Do you really believe that is wrong? Again, it sounds to me like you want special treatment just because you are Protestant, or in this case, just Christian. "How dare those people give equal billing to Jewish holidays as Christian holidays! This is a Christian country for crying out loud!" Is that what you meant to say?
The part about the Jewish teacher...please! It sounds like the apple didn't fall too far from the tree. She couldn't cut it, so why not blame the Jews? Kids learn racism from their parents. It's that damn Jewish conspiracy, right? That teacher would be fired in a nanosecond if there were repeated complaints. No way she would risk her job to "advance the Jewish race." Do you really expect anyone to believe that?
The moms in the playground...how did you know which ones were Jewish and which ones weren't? What, did they have dark hair and big noses? There are certain other Catholic ethnicities that suffer that silly stereotype too. Did you ask for ID? You should probably just accept the fact that you are anti-Semitic, and that is the real reason you left. It's alright. I have a lot more respect for someone who is honest about it than for these pansies that come around here and beat around the bush about it.
Personally, I have more friends that are not Jewish than friends that are. I could care less if my children marry non-Jews, as long as they are happy. If I am in any clique at all, it is with my motorcycle buddies. Not a whole lot of Jews there. I think that orthodox Jews tend to fit your stereotypes, but they are in a small minority. Some people apply those stereotypes to all Jews to justify their own anti-Semitism.
Livingston is not even a jewish majority its like 47%. Livingston has the snob attitude yes, but their are plenty of non-jewish people living there. Livingston does not even have the most jews in essex county anyway.
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I go to Rutgers and every race and religion under the sun is represented in the student population and we all coexist extremely well. I love it!
