Conference taveng::bagels

    Hi Levi,
    
    Glad to see that you've arrived safely.
    
    I don't recall the Boston area geography all that well, but I have
    heard that lots of young people are moving into Sharon.
    
    Keep us posted....
    
    L'shana Tikatevu V'techasemu,
    
    Cb.

    Levi,
    
    You might want to consider the town of Westboro.  It's convenient
    to the Hudson, Marlboro, and Shrewsbury facilities.  I've lived
    in Westboro for nearly 3 years now and find it to be a family
    oriented town with a growing Jewish population.  There's only one
    shul at the moment.  It's a reform shul with a woman rabbi who's
    very popular with the young people in town.  Hopefully there will
    be enough interest to start a conservative shul some day.  Then
    maybe a kosher bakery, a butcher......
    
    Since I'm single, I really can't speak much about the school
    system.  My family oriented neighbors think it's pretty good.
    
    Though the town has experienced a great deal of growth in
    residential housing and retail business over the past few years,
    it still has a small town feel to it.  Many of the downtown
    businesses are still owned and frequented by townspeople.  Things
    are changing - some say for the better, some say for the worse.
    
    If you're interested in seeing the town, drop me a note or call.
    I'd be more than willing to give you the grand tour....
    
    /Sam

    There's also Acton, which, when I was living there 4 years ago,
    had a fast-growing temple with a lot of young families.  Like
    -.1, I'm also single, and that's one of the reasons I moved out
    of Acton.  Plan on paying a pretty penny (say *that* three times
    fast) for new construction.
    
    Anita

    Levi,
    
    Living in Harvard, a town of ~5000 near Hudson where you can probably
    count the Jewish population on your fingers and toes (ok, include
    a friend or 2 and their fingers and toes), I can offer some insights
    and possibly some guidelines.
    
    There are (to my knowledge) probably only a couple of cities/towns
    in the greater Boston area that could be classified as "Jewish".
    Brookline, right next to Boston, comes to mind first, as do Newton,
    and, as mentioned in a previous reply, probably Sharon (although
    my knowledge of Sharon is strictly heresay). You'd also have to
    be pushing it to say that any of these are within 1/2 hour of Hudson
    (an hour yes, a half hour no). Framingham is supposed to be "Jewishy",
    although I have no idea if there are Jewish neighborhoods there.
    
    What this means to me is that your chances of finding a "Jewish
    neighborhood" per se anywhere around Hudson are not great. What
    is probably very attainable is a nice town (attractive, good shcool
    system, etc.) with an active Jewish community,
    with the Jewishness probably centered around the shul. Acton and
    Westboro certainly fit this description (Acton in particular is
    known for its school system), and Sudbury, Natick and Wayland are 
    other places you might consider.
    
    Good Luck,
    
    Dick Rosenberg
                  
         
    

    Shalom Levi,
    
    The information about Sharon is correct.  ~70% Jewish.  However, the
    commute would not be fun.  ~1 hour and the best route is 128.

    Newton or Brookline are more accessible but still more than 1/2 hour.

    Framingham has a kosher butcher, quasi-kosher deli (unsupervised) and
    a Judaica shop.  I believe that there is an orthodox shul or at least
    a traditional conservative one.  That would indicate that there is a
    "Jewish" neighborhood.

    Fred Liss has several times mentioned that he lives in a very Jewish
    neighborhood in Worcester.  Depending on what part of town that is
    in you might be able to make Hudson in under 1/2 hour. (I-290 dumps
    right out at HLO).

    Mazel tov!

    L'hit,
    Gabi

    
    I've got an idea what your after.

    Newton/Newton Highlands
    Brookline

		Commute is against traffic, not with it, but it's
		almost exactly 25 miles from Newton Center to HLO
		[I do this often] and takes at least 25 minutes
		but certainly 40 when you are going through Hudson.
		Still though it's ONLY 25 miles.

    Worcester [Went to school there], West Side

	    Look at the Newton Square area or the Tatnuck Square area.
	    Prices are higher than the -boro's, but lower than Newton.
	    Very Orthodox Community as well as Chasidim and a few
	    Reform Temples.  There's an Orthodox schul right near
	    Newton Square [has nothing to do with Newton] and Fred Liss
	    is a member, although where Fred is now, no one has a clue.
	    Temple Emanuel is in the South-Western part of Worcester
	    and is Reform.  There are other schuls near Tatnuck
	    square but the housing cost isn't worth the short savings
	    in miles.  About 4 miles from Newton square to Tatnuck
	    heading West on Pleasant Street.

	    To get to HLO [your new commute] take 290 West to
	    HLO.  17 Miles from around Newton Square.  Takes about
	    20 minutes in the morning and 40 at night since
	    Newton Square isn't square, it's round, as in traffic
	    circle or Rotary as we New Yorkers call them, and it
	    backs up quite a bit since people in Worcester don't
	    drive, they aim.

	Schools are EXCELLENT and there is a Yeshiva near the square.
	The public High School in the area is Doherty and has a great
	reputation.  There are many private schools.

	Some streets to look for houses on:

	    Salisbury Street
	    Pleasant Street
	    June Street
	    
	    Especially June St and ANY street off of it, but make
	    sure you only look at the WEST side of Pleasant or
	    you'll regret it.

	This is the best for you.

    My two cents worth.
    
    I live in Northboro, which is certainly a short commute to Hudson
    (next town over). I think we have the best of both worlds. We go
    into Worcester (about 15-20 mins. away on I290) for Shul, and to take our
    kids to Hebrew school at the traditionally conservative Congregation
    Beth Israel.
    
    Northboro does have a young, professional flavor, with a fair number
    of Jewish families. Most of them belong to the reform shul in Westboro,
    but several make the trek into Worcester. Worcester also has a Jewsih
    bakery, but alas, no Kosher Butcher. For this we commute about once
    a month to Newton or Brookline (about 45 minutes away).

    Also available in Worcester, if your wife is interested, is Haddassah
    and Women's American ORT, as well as B'Nai Brith and WZO.
    
    I hope this helps a bit. If you need more info, contact me.
    
    Jack

RE:  Sharon

I was raised in Sharon, and when we originally moved there the population was
only 10-12,000.  Of course, it's grown tremendously, and there has been a
great influx of Jewish families.  I know of 4 shuls: 2 Orthodox, 1 Conservative 
and 1 Reform.  However, real estate is very "pricey", but it still is a
real nice town to raise kids and the school system is still good.  

The commute to Hudson would be I495N to 85 (Hudson)--approximately 45 minutes.

RE:  Framingham

Framingham is also a possibility, and I know there is a very large
Jewish population in many areas with many shuls.

    LEVI
    	Similar to .8 I also live in Sharon and commute to Hudson (HUO).
    The commute via 495 is a constant 45 mins. I have yet to hit any
    heavy traffic and it is all major highway. 
        In regard prices of houses here is the analysis this year when
    I was deciding wether to take advantage of relocation and move closer:
    
    				SHARON		$240,000
    SIMILAR HOUSE IN 
    	SIMILAR NEIGHBORHOOD	NEWTON		$400,000
    				NEEDHAM		$375,000
    				BROOKLINE	$370,000
    				SUDBURY		$380,000
    				FRAMINGHAM	$220,000
    				NORTHBORO	$260,000
    				WORCHESTER	$280,000
    				HUDSON		$200,000 (NON JEWISH)
    				LOWELL		$210,000
    				FRANKLIN	$170,000 (NON JEWISH)
    NOTE: these figures were taken from a MLS book mostly in area I
    		assumed to be jewish. 
    
    Because My wife and I have been living in Sharon for 12 years and
    feel that it is one "JEWISH TOWN" we could afford to live in we
    decided not to move. Having driven RT128 for during rush hour I
    find I do not mind the drive to HUO half as much as the 30+ min
    drive to Newton I did on a regular basis.
    
    				MARK (morDECai BEN_ZEEF)
    

You may want to look at Wayland. Not 'Jewish', but a large Jewish 
congregation, none the less. Commute to HLO is fairly convenient,
about 30 minutes.

-- Ron

    
    
    
    Sudbury as well.
    
    

    RE: .5
    
    I live in Sharon (have been there for 24 years). It is, indeed,
    a Jewish town. There has been developing over the past few years,
    a growing Frumme population who attend the Young Israel Synagogue.
    There are 3 other Schuls in town - Temple Israel and Temple Adath,
    both Conservative, and Temple Sinai which is Reform
    
    As far as its proximity to Hudson, by taking Route 495 versus
    Route 128, the ride can be in the 30 minute range. By using 495,
    even though Hudson is 35 or so miles away, you can easily do the
    speed limit, or if you're so inclined, well above the speed limit.
    
    As for its school system, Sharon has an excellent one.
    
       Alan
    
    
    

    re: *
    
    Thanks to all of you who took the time to answer.   I've gotten
    some really good pointers and I'm following up on some of them.
    
    Levi.