Hasidic population in Bergen County? (Teaneck, Englewood: house, neighborhoods, buying)

[rickygirl]

Likely relocating to Bergen County. Have read and heard a lot about the Hasidic population in Rockland County, more specifically that they are buying homes in cash and trying to take over certain neighborhoods and towns which is not good for homeowners. I’ve heard that this is becoming a problem in Bergen County as well. Are there any towns to be avoided because of this?

[Nmc400]

Bergen is a very different animal than Rockland. I don't think you will have to worry too much about these types taking over in a county where everything is closed on Sunday.

[foodyum]

Teaneck and englewood have large orthodox- not Hasidic - populations. It has effected the public schools and it may be uncomfortable for your kids when the neighborhood children don't want to come over and play. I would not say it ruins the neighborhood because homes are kept up and housing values remain strong, but you might feel excluded.

[Seduflow]

Originally Posted by foodyum

Teaneck and englewood have large orthodox- not Hasidic - populations. It has effected the public schools and it may be uncomfortable for your kids when the neighborhood children don't want to come over and play. I would not say it ruins the neighborhood because homes are kept up and housing values remain strong, but you might feel excluded.

First of all, englewood and teaneck are lucky because all those orthodox families are paying families and not putting all their kids in the school system, it's saving the education system there big time! and the orthodox population is integrated with the community there. Most orthodox jews live in their sections, like how most blacks live in theirs, most hispanics in theirs, etc. And if the children are friends....it's not an issue, they can come over and play BUT as orthodox jews, they keep kosher and can not eat the food in a non kosher house.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by Jackal1

Big difference. Hasidics take over. Orthodox are just like everyone else some nice like you and some idiots like me.

Where the hell have you been?

[Jackal1]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

Where the hell have you been?

Just trying to give everyone a breather.

[JakeinChina]

Teaneck and Englewood is your answer. Nowhere else in Bergen county is there a concern, and yes the orthodox Jews are different in practice and way of life then in Rockland County. They are not "taking over neighborhoods" but it might be challenging to integrate with them if your not orthodox Jewish.


Also, public schools in those two towns are not great, if you have kids. Plenty of other options in Bergen County if you have kids.

[Cubicle Dweller]

Another recent thread mentioned concern in Mahwah which is close enough to Rockland County that the blue laws wouldn’t have as big of an impact. Just google “Mahwah eruv”.

[ALackOfCreativity]

As others have said, no large Hasidic population in Bergen county and the Orthodox are very different and perfectly good neighbors. Just like anyone else except they walk to temple on Saturday and don't use the public schools. They're perfectly happy to socialize with others as long as you don't insist on doing it on a Saturday. That they tend to be in towns with relatively worse school districts is true but the causality is the other way around: the worse schools reduce property values relative to nearby towns which represents an arbitrage for the orthodox who don't use them anyway and therefore move in (which in turn improves the tax base and reduces the valuation differential).

I'm not as familiar with the Hasidic parts of Rockland county but while I wouldn't want to live in a Hasidic community for social reasons I can't see how it is bad for existing homeowners - tax base gets better and if they get thick enough on the ground that you would want to leave as a result you can sell your house to a member of their community at a better rate than you could get in their absence.