No question about it: there’s nothing like living “in-town”. Frum enclaves like Monsey, Brooklyn, and Lakewood offer that unmatched ruach of being part of a great kehillah, with talmidei chachamim, rabbonim and yeshivos. Of course, amenities such as kosher meat, bakeries, and restaurants – and being near “the action” are significant components of in-town life as well.
On the other hand, there is nothing like living out-of-town. The calm pace of life, the close-knit community, and the friendly spirit of achdus that typify out of town living are important quality of life and quality of yiddishkeit factors as well.
It’s the age-old debate of Neighborhood Day songs throughout the Catskills each summer – which is better, in-town or out-of-town?
Until recently, the lines were clearly drawn: East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet.
The virtually unprecedented evolution of the city of Waterbury may finally resolve the dilemma for those who cannot decide between in town and out of town. For Waterbury indeed offers the advantages of out of town living, and is still the closest possible alternative to city life.
“Waterbury?” you ask. “Isn’t that a yeshiva? A city near Hartford? Isn’t that where Rav Gifter was once a Rov?”
The answer, of course, is yes. Waterbury is home to a yeshiva Gedolah, is about half hour away from Hartford, and has the distinction of having had Rav Gifter zt’l as a Rov many years ago.
Waterbury today, is a vibrant, frum community of bnei Torah that has grown nearly overnight from a moribund kehillah to the most popular alternative for frum families from across the Untied States. In contradistinction to other out of town communities, Waterbury is actually a satellite community of the greater frum kehillah of New York. Because of its close proximity to these metropolises, Waterbury enjoys constant growth. It is a logical and nearby alternative for young couples who wish to remain in the Tri State area but want the affordable housing, vibrant community, and quality of life that Waterbury offers. As affordable real estate becomes increasingly non-existent in Brooklyn and other New York and New Jersey locations, there has been a natural “overflow” effect to the next frontier: Waterbury
What does Waterbury have to offer as a community? Consider the following:
Waterbury’s full service yeshiva k’tana, with nearly 200 students, is located on the former University of Connecticut campus and features state of the art facilities and playground. The city boasts a renowned Yeshiva Gedolah, including a high school and Bais Medrash, a high level Kollel, an eiruv, three mikvaos, and three shuls: Yeshiva, Bnei Shalom, and Blue Ridge. Waterbury has both Hatzolah and Chaverim, a kosher deli, bagel store, bakery (in ShopRite), as well as kosher groceries and cholov Yisroel.
Housing opportunities are hard to equal: brand new beautiful 5 bedroom and 3 bath homes in Blue Ridge Estates for under $300k! Waterbury offers a relaxed, no pressure environment, with an exceptional ruach of chesed, including bikur cholim and meals on wheels. The city is a little over an hour to Monsey and Manhattan and is near Stamford, Harford and Boston.
Waterbury is also home to a number of prominent rabbinic figures: Rav Aharon Kaufman, an alumnus of Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin and close talmid of Rav Aharon Schechter, serves as the Rosh Yeshiva. Rav Yosef Sonnenschein, a talmid of Rav Yonoson David of Pachad Yitzchok in Eretz Yisroel, is the Rov of Bnei Shalom. Rav Doniel Kalish, famed learning director of camp Heller, and the son of a prominent Rov and Rebbe in Far Rockaway, is the Rov of Blue Ridge Estates and a Magid Shiur in Yeshivah Gedolah. Rav Baruch Yehudah Rabinowitz, who gave a chaburah in the Mir Yerushalayim for many years and is highly regarded by the gedolim in Eretz Yisroel, is the Rosh Kollel of the Kollel of Central Connecticut (Blue Ridge Estates.) Rav Chaim Cohen, son of the renowned poseik Rabbi Feivel Cohen, is Rosh Kollel of the Yeshiva Gedolah’s Kollel. Rav Avraham Krohn, son of the well-known “Maggid” Rabbi Paysach Krohn, is a Magid Shiur. Rabbi Yehudah Brecher serves as principal of the Yeshiva K’tana. A host of other noted Rabbonim grace Waterbury with their presence as well.
How did it all happen? And why in Waterbury more than in any other community?
The incredible story of Waterbury’s blossoming from a virtual yesh me’ayin is a saga of remarkable hashgocha protis.
Torah Umesorah was exploring options in community development to create viable housing options for the growing frum population. An additional agenda was to advance the parameters of the tristate frum megalopolis, thereby spreading the positive influence of Torah-true Jews to their less than observant brethren. With the active participation and encouragement of Rav Aharon Schechter, Rosh Yeshivah of Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin, and his close talmid Rabbi Aharon Kaufman, the Waterbury initiative picked up steam. With the yeshiva serving as a nucleus, the growth has continued to gain momentum.
An important addition to the Waterbury landscape has been Blue Ridge Estates, a brand new development with beautiful homes, scenic views, its own Shul, Mikvah, and Eiruv. The development is already settled, with 25% of the homes sold, and interested buyers calling regularly. The area is particularly attractive for families moving back from Eretz Yisroel and young balei batim with Torah values looking for a warm kehillah. As families from Monsey, Toronto, Lakewood, Brooklyn, California, and Eretz Yisroel continue to join the Waterbury community, Blue Ridge is playing an important role in accommodating the area’s growth spurt.
For people who want to feel like they’re making a difference in a community; who want to be actively involved in the chinuch of their children, and who appreciate the beauty of out of town life that’s just a stone’s throw from New York – Waterbury many just be the ideal alternative.
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