Jewish communities- greater Boston

November 1, 2015 4:39 PM

My family is looking to move out of our small condo in Cambridge to a nearby suburb that will give us more space, great schools, green space, and a community to call our own for our growing family. Among the various features we are looking for in our next community, it important to us to live where there is an active Jewish community. We are already familiar and considering Brookline/Needham/Lexington/Sharon, but are less familiar with the vibe in Natick, Winchester, Needham, Andover, and Belmont.

Would love any impressions on how robust the (Reform/Conservative) Jewish communities are in these towns, and how much it feels like a place where there is a 'large minority' of Jewish kids in the public schools. We appreciate any insights folks have to share. Thanks in advance!

posted by purpleporpouis to Human Relations (10 answers total)

I have lived in Belmont for 5 years, and I am a (sort-of, incomplete) converted Jew. While there is a temple here (Beth El Temple Center), there's not a strong Jewish population at all in the town. Arlington's is growing and there are more younger Jewish families there all the time. I believe there's even a fairly new organization for Jewish families there. My old temple, Shir Tikvah, which I really liked, is in Winchester, but I don't have a good feel for the level of Jewish feel in the town as a whole.
posted by primate moon at 5:03 PM on November 1, 2015

Have you also looked into Newton? The Jewish community there is very strong.
posted by Mchelly at 5:22 PM on November 1, 2015 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Oh right yes I meant to include Newton in the list of towns we are also considering, and we are relatively familiar with already. Thanks!
posted by purpleporpouis at 5:35 PM on November 1, 2015

My understanding from people I know who grew up there is that Winchester is extremely hostile for Jews. Not recommended.
posted by Toddles at 6:25 PM on November 1, 2015

I grew up in Needham, though I haven't lived there in 10-15 years now, but in the 90s there was a significant and active Jewish community there. I am not Jewish, but I'd say that about 25% of my friends were Jewish, and I went to 4 or 5 bar/bat/b'nai mitzvahs. My younger brother probably went to a dozen. There was a Jewish Community Center that often held dances or other teen events. We didn't officially have Jewish holidays off from school, but I know a large number of "teacher work days" coincidentally fell on major Jewish holidays, and teachers would often adjust the schedule of tests or project due dates based on feedback from Jewish kids in class when it would conflict with a day most of them would not be at school. Unless things have changed dramatically in the last dozen years I suspect you would find yourself at home there. If you want, I might be able to put you in touch with some Facebook friends who still live there. One of them is a Town Selectman who (I believe) is not Jewish and is married to a Jewish woman.
posted by Rock Steady at 9:19 PM on November 1, 2015

I live in Newton, which has a large and active Jewish community, of all stripes. I belong to Temple Beth Elohim (on the Newton-Wellesley border), which has a (reform) congregation of more than 1000 families and keeps growing. There is TONS going on there every day, including worship, learning, and community service. I have friends at the conservative Temple Emmanuel who are very happy there too. There are also numerous other shuls around town and nearby. We also have a large and popular Jewish Community Center (although I don't belong).

Public school is closed for the first day of Rosh Hashanah and for Yom Kippur. Enough kids and teachers are Jewish that no one really thinks twice about it. (My kids think it's just as cool to get a "free" day off for Good Friday.) Seventh grade is generally a whirlwind of Bar/Bat Mitzvahs; the non-Jewish kids think it's the greatest thing that ever happened. :)
posted by wisekaren at 5:13 AM on November 2, 2015 [2 favorites]

West Newton is where my Jewish nephews are growing up, and I've been really impressed by how welcoming their temple is and the relative diversity of their neighborhood, both economic and otherwise. When they first moved out here my Cambridge self was surprised at how many of the families would've fit into my Cambridge neighborhood, too.
posted by ldthomps at 9:22 AM on November 2, 2015

I grew up in Newton, I am Jewish and there were and are tons of reform and casually practicing Jews.
My info is dated, but Newton and Brookline= full of reform/conservative Jews, good for if you want to be in Jewish-ish communities
Lexington/Andover= not many jews at all
Sharon= more conservative/modern ortho than reform but does have a serious set of jews
Winchester, Belmont= super waspy, hardly any jews
Arlington= some jews
posted by rmless at 12:42 PM on November 2, 2015

I know some orthodox Jews who live in Brighton.
posted by Obscure Reference at 9:21 AM on November 3, 2015

Response by poster: Thanks all for this input-- very helpful!
posted by purpleporpouis at 6:11 AM on November 11, 2015