Why do Jews insist on staying in citys like New York City?

[White Israelite]

I don't understand the stance on why so many Jews live in the city or want to live in New York City? What exactly is the reason for this? It seems like the city is full of the worse politicians, the highest taxes, highest pollution, and a mixture of every culture but it seems like most Jews prefer to live in the city?

Maybe my family is the oddball here, my dads family were farmers and lived far from the city, they grew crops and lived very rural. Same with my moms family.

Why don't we hear much about Jewish farmers or what not? And why do so many remain in the city?

[דוד בן זאב אריה]

From what I understand is that there are over 2 Million Jews and Jews will scrafise a lot in order to be around other Jews. I am moving to Seattle Very soon and the city itself sucks but it is the only place in the whole state that has Kosher meat and Kosher Delis. Also There are 30,000 Jews as oppose to 400 where I live now

[White Israelite]

From what I understand is that there are over 2 Million Jews and Jews will scrafise a lot in order to be around other Jews. I am moving to Seattle Very soon and the city itself sucks but it is the only place in the whole state that has Kosher meat and Kosher Delis. Also There are 30,000 Jews as oppose to 400 where I live now

I wish there was a project we could do to form a small community out in a rural area like a retreat or something. I feel cities are dangerous and not good for ones health, while business opportunity is good and perhaps better education, I really don't feel there is much benefit in cities, they seem very sprawled out and disconnected, environment is not good, and I do not like living that close to people with large buildings around me.

Is there a history behind why Jews decided to live in the cities? And how do other Jews feel about living in the city? How about those like myself who do not want to live in a city?

[nopeaceforland]

It has the best of everything!

[White Israelite]

It has the best of everything!

I'm not positive about that, growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, i'd say that it was quite depressing. Everywhere we'd walk, it was homeless people, everyone cramped into one area with big sky scrapers, lots of cars and people in a hurry to get somewhere, heavy pollution, hundreds of accents and different languages one can't understand, it was pretty much a melting pot. I lived around a city for 17 years of my life and I still don't understand what is so great about them.

[rebel_conservative]

I loved NYC... although, I was only there for a week 

I really want to go back and live there, do my PhD at NYU or Columbia 

[nopeaceforland]

It has the best of everything!

I'm not positive about that, growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, i'd say that it was quite depressing. Everywhere we'd walk, it was homeless people, everyone cramped into one area with big sky scrapers, lots of cars and people in a hurry to get somewhere, heavy pollution, hundreds of accents and different languages one can't understand, it was pretty much a melting pot. I lived around a city for 17 years of my life and I still don't understand what is so great about them.

I don't know, I'd rather be outside of NY, Chicago or LA than the 'burbs of South, FL. I came from Long Island, NY which is about 45 minutes to an hour out of NYC. I only moved because I had just graduated college and my whole family moved south. Being young and stupid, I followed.

[Vito]

I'm not Jewish, but I grew up in NYC and I've always hated it.

[White Israelite]

It has the best of everything!

I'm not positive about that, growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, i'd say that it was quite depressing. Everywhere we'd walk, it was homeless people, everyone cramped into one area with big sky scrapers, lots of cars and people in a hurry to get somewhere, heavy pollution, hundreds of accents and different languages one can't understand, it was pretty much a melting pot. I lived around a city for 17 years of my life and I still don't understand what is so great about them.

I don't know, I'd rather be outside of NY, Chicago or LA than the 'burbs of South, FL. I came from Long Island, NY which is about 45 minutes to an hour out of NYC. I only moved because I had just graduated college and my whole family moved south. Being young and stupid, I followed.

That's weird, most of my friends here tell me they wish they lived in the city. My mother grew up in rural part of Wisconsin up in the woods and she moved to the city and loved it at first, but then she said she missed her home. You take things for granted, and I have learned to appreciate where I live because I know there are not many areas like this left. There will always be cities and they will get bigger and bigger over time, but nature and open areas where you have places to go will disappear over time so maybe this is why I have a different view on it.

[rebel_conservative]

I'm not Jewish, but I grew up in NYC and I've always hated it.

what do you hate about it?

[Vito]

I'm not Jewish, but I grew up in NYC and I've always hated it.

what do you hate about it?

Corrupt schools and political system, extremely busy and 75% non white are at the top of the list..

[Tzvi Ben Roshel1]

Jews should live in a community of Jews. It is needed for many aspects of keeping the laws, etc, and one shouldn't seperate oneself from the Jewish community. (unless one would be going to Israel even at a time if their are few Jews their). For example - how are Jews going to come to Shul on Shabb-t, if the shul is an hour away, of-course driving by car is forbidden, but that would mean that in this case one would have to walk an hour to shul and an hour back for Aravit, shaharit and minha. thats 6 hours of walking every Shabb-t to shul. Also their are other aspects, but this is just one example.

[White Israelite]

Jews should live in a community of Jews. It is needed for many aspects of keeping the laws, etc, and one shouldn't seperate oneself from the Jewish community. (unless one would be going to Israel even at a time if their are few Jews their). For example - how are Jews going to come to Shul on Shabbat, if the shul is an hour away, of-course driving by car is forbidden, but that would mean that in this case one would have to walk an hour to shul and an hour back for Aravit, shaharit and minha. thats 6 hours of walking every Shabbat to shul. Also their are other aspects, but this is just one example.

I didn't have a choice when I moved, so I am far from any Jewish community or any Jews, what am I supposed to do then?

[Tzvi Ben Roshel1]

Jews should live in a community of Jews. It is needed for many aspects of keeping the laws, etc, and one shouldn't seperate oneself from the Jewish community. (unless one would be going to Israel even at a time if their are few Jews their). For example - how are Jews going to come to Shul on Shabbat, if the shul is an hour away, of-course driving by car is forbidden, but that would mean that in this case one would have to walk an hour to shul and an hour back for Aravit, shaharit and minha. thats 6 hours of walking every Shabbat to shul. Also their are other aspects, but this is just one example.

I didn't have a choice when I moved, so I am far from any Jewish community or any Jews, what am I supposed to do then?

 For now (while you are in this position), better to stay home and not violate Shabb-t, then go to shul by car (G-d forbid). Then make plans to be around a Jewish community (a good one). But for sure keep Shabb-t (if your Jewish) without violating it in anyway, not even to go to shul or something else. If you can, then walk to shul, if not better to stay home.

[White Israelite]

Jews should live in a community of Jews. It is needed for many aspects of keeping the laws, etc, and one shouldn't seperate oneself from the Jewish community. (unless one would be going to Israel even at a time if their are few Jews their). For example - how are Jews going to come to Shul on Shabbat, if the shul is an hour away, of-course driving by car is forbidden, but that would mean that in this case one would have to walk an hour to shul and an hour back for Aravit, shaharit and minha. thats 6 hours of walking every Shabbat to shul. Also their are other aspects, but this is just one example.

I didn't have a choice when I moved, so I am far from any Jewish community or any Jews, what am I supposed to do then?

 For now (while you are in this position), better to stay home and not violate Shabbat, then go to shul by car (G-d forbid). Then make plans to be around a Jewish community (a good one). But for sure keep Shabbat (if your Jewish) without violating it in anyway, not even to go to shul or something else. If you can, then walk to shul, if not better to stay home.

Closest one is more than an hour away from me. Jewish community isn't prevalent in my area.

[MassuhDGoodName]

This same question might be rephrased as follows:

"How was it possible for Communist dictator Joseph Stalin to arrest the Jews of Moscow, and publicly charge them with the "Crime of being 'cosmopolites'"?

It is my belief that the Jews, being a homeless, stateless people for two thousand years unable to live as a normal "rooted" people developing their own unique arts and cultures, learned to gravitate to the largest modern cities, which were the areas of progress and interaction with other nations and cultures.

It was the "cosmopolitan" centers where "the wandering Jew in Exile" could immerse himself in the best cultural contributions of "others".

The Jews, being an industrious people who valued education, were always "haunted" by the inner knowledge that they could never find full acceptance by the majority culture around them.

Because the Jews prospered in metropolitan areas, those with wealth soon substituted "philanthropy" and "social activism" in futile endeavors of finding acceptance among the nations.

Centuries of this peculiar lifestyle became an ingrained "habit" of Jewish life in the Exile, so much so that we still see Jews congregating in the major metropolitan cities.

Even in America today, Jews generally seek out professions as attorneys, doctors, financiers, accountants, management, and other professions which enable their status of wealth to substitute for the true security of a people deeply rooted in the land of their ancestors.

As the old adage goes, "It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks!"

[takebackourtemple]

I don't understand the stance on why so many Jews live in the city or want to live in New York City? What exactly is the reason for this? It seems like the city is full of the worse politicians, the highest taxes, highest pollution, and a mixture of every culture but it seems like most Jews prefer to live in the city?

Maybe my family is the oddball here, my dads family were farmers and lived far from the city, they grew crops and lived very rural. Same with my moms family.

Why don't we hear much about Jewish farmers or what not? And why do so many remain in the city?

   I'm with you Meir. I haven't lived in New York City for close to ten years and don't want to go back. I wish my family would could down here to Florida(which has not state income tax and I hear that Southern Florida has the world's largest concentration of Jews near Boca). I hate flying into New York Airports. They are dirty, outdated, and flights do not run on time when they go through LGA or JFK. If white plains or Isplip had reasonable ground transportation I would fly into one of those instead. With all the fees the the PANYNJ charges, I'd expect the to have 21st century technology. Most of the signs and baggage carecells look like they are from the 80's. Of course the city doesn't run their road system well either. With higher gas taxes and tolls, I'd expect the roads to be well paved. Congestion? That just means more tax revenue to build more roads. To cross a nine dollar toll, it is aburd that motorist have to wait in such horrendous traffic. At least if it was free, I can understand that you get what you pay for.
   Paulette said it right on one of her shows(for San Fran). The police do nothing about drug dealers, yet they are happy to cite people for minor traffic violations.
   BTW, This is my 1000th post.

[takebackourtemple]

Actually, I don't live in a Major Jewish community. I took it for granted when I did. Now that it is not as readily available I appreciate it a lot more.

[nessuno]

Congratulations on 1,000 excellent posts TakeBackOurTemple!

[cjd]

Actually, I don't live in a Major Jewish community. I took it for granted when I did. Now that it is not as readily available I appreciate it a lot more.

It always seems that after something we took for granted is gone we appreciate it much more. I guess its human nature. And yes Congratulations on you 1000 post takebackourtemple. Great posts every one of them

[Lisa]

Congratulations on your 1000th post, TakeBackOurTemple.

[ape]

ny is th sh__tiest city in the country. I've been here all my life.

[DownwithIslam]

From what I understand is that there are over 2 Million Jews and Jews will scrafise a lot in order to be around other Jews. I am moving to Seattle Very soon and the city itself sucks but it is the only place in the whole state that has Kosher meat and Kosher Delis. Also There are 30,000 Jews as oppose to 400 where I live now

Of course I think its prob best if you move to Israel but if you have to stay here, you might be better off moving to an area with a juge jewish population like NYC or LA or something like that.

[Dr. Dan]

because it's a great place to be!