Talk About Town: Staten Island

By Tzippy Klein

In this series, we explore various Jewish communities around the globe. Want your hometown to be featured next? Send an email to info@nsheinews.com with the subject line ‘Talk About Town” to be considered!

Community Information:

‘The forgotten borough’ is the moniker this borough is known for. However, these days Staten Island is a borough that’s really on the map! Just 25 minutes from Brooklyn, over the Verazzano bridge, you get to experience suburbia with its more relaxed and calm feel. Established more than 40 years ago by Young Israel, the community has expanded to include Chassidim, making it a diverse, blended community.  Many of the recent residents settled here due to its lower housing and its close proximity to Brooklyn and Manhattan. (That meant maintaining current jobs, schools, and yeshivas, without the upheaval that moving to a new community entails.)

A shuttle service was established between Staten Island and Boro Park due to the fact that many newcomers are Boro Park expats with jobs, family and other ties to the city. There’s a grocery store and a new supermarket in the making, as well as pizza shops and a restaurant. Many shops have popped up to serve this new market, such as a hosiery store, shoe store, clothing, and judaica store. 

Willowbrook and Manor Heights are the main Jewish neighborhoods, although there are smaller communities such as Westerleigh, Eltingville and the like. There is also the Yeshiva community in Pleasant Plains run by the venerated R’ Reuven Feinstein. Aside from Young Israel, many shuls dot the map, Agudah, Khal Agudah Shomrei Adas, run by Rabbi Pollack, Arvei Nachal, and Mkilnitz, as well as many small chassidish shteiblich.

There are three established elementary schools here, RJJ , JFS, and Staten Island Hebrew Academy. A new Chassidish cheder, Bnei Torah, opened this year as well as Bnos Chaya girls school, a branch of Bnos Chaya of Boro Park. Zichron Paltiel is the Staten Island Yeshiva Gedolah, but numerous Yeshiva Gedolahs have settled here such as Tiferes Elimelech, Nesivos Hatalmud and the like. In addition, there is a ladies mikvah here, but there’s a new state of the art mikvah under development!

The median price home here is $550,000 for a semi-detached home, and $750,000 for a hi ranch. 

Tons of chesed happens here, with Hatzalah, Chaveirim, and chap a ride chats . There is even a Mom to Mom program where kimpeturins get gourmet, I mean gourmet lunch for a full week (does that make you want to move?). The only thing  missing here is a cafe and we’re actively looking to patronize one. The community here has the perfect blend of city convenience and suburban style living so if you want a warm, welcoming community, you’ll have lots of neighbors baking you biscotti!