Whats Baltimore like nowadays.Still OOT or suitable for intown fam

The City of Baltimore is not somewhere a frum family would want to live but there are several suburban areas (Owings Mills, Pikesville etc) which are safe and in close proximity to a wide range of schools and shuls for just about every hashkafah From the MO Beth Tefillah complex (one of the largest day schools on the East Coast to Neir Tamid, to a number of chassidish schools and bies yaakoves, you can find a facility to match your needs. Home prices are substantially below NYC area prices. Also consider the Silver Spring/Potomac areas of suburban Washington D.C. which also has a large frum population although not of the scale in Baltimore but the area is more upscale and generally a safer environment with greater employment options than Baltimore.

No, that’s not AT ALL in the frum area, the northwest corner of the city, where the crime rate is still low. (And you can confirm that thru the Northwest Citizens Patrol, 410-664-NWCP.

Why are we protected from the malaise afflicting the rest of the city? Perhaps it is our achdus and the shalom between various groups in the city. You will find all areas of the frum spectrum – Chasidish, Yeshivishe, Torahdig, and Modern, FFB and BT, Ashkenazi and Sepharadi – and the mutual respect is amazing. So if you can have and befriend a neighbor who has different (yet still kosher) hanhagos than you, Baltimore is a real choice.

If you’re an NYer with that sort of attitude, you should probably just stay in NY.

The area in the City of Baltimore where the frum community is centered has a low crime rate. Northern Parkway effectively cuts off the neighborhood from the rest of the city. The adjacent neighborhood “Mount Washington” is largely upper class, but the frum areas are still middle class. There is begining to be a correlation between frumkeit and living in the city, and being “modern” and living in adjacent Baltimore County. but it isn’t absolute. In general, the city is not into the expensive lifestyle of many frum Baal ha-battim in New York (fancy clothes, fancy weddings, going away for the summer, etc.). Most employment is related to the Federal government in Washington (less than an hour commute). There are several well established schools run by misnagdim and recently there has been a big growth in hasidim (someone more or less “imported” them by planting a hasidische kollel in the heart of the community.

Girls schools are bais yaakov-regular. Bnos Yisroel- a little smaller and more personal. Beazer is the area with newer homes (all the same looking) and closer together then the average home in Baltimore. Beazer generally has more modern and a bunch of not frum (although there are some regular yeshivish people)!!!!!!

Joseph- there is a chasidish cheder for young kids and quite a large chasidish kollel baltimores chasidish community is growing bh

@tralala1 People don’t care about how you’re dressed or where you go for vacation as much as they do in New York. People wearing last-years style and going to their in-laws in St. Louis for Yom Tov is not something that even elicits a passing comment.

There are no Chassidish schools. Just one playgroup and it’s only for members of the Chassidish kollel. The closest thing you’ll find to a “mainstream” school is Torah Institute for boys and BY for girls. Both have a larger variety of backgrounds than you may expect in NY (like, kids with TV and also kids who’s parents learn in kollel for life), and they are excellent schools.

Beazer is a Maryland goyish developer that built a huge development next to the frum community. It was the In place for a while, but it’s kind of Out these days. A Beazer house will still run you 600k for four bedrooms and an unfinished basement, and they are almost impossible to get. Summit Park is very In and just as close.

There are two sets of hedarim, one Chabad and one started by the Chassidsh Kollel (how that will develop is unknown as it is quite new). “Totah Institute” was founded by a hasid but is now dominated by yeshivsh.

In the heart of the frum community, houses under $250K are common, and if you look hard enough you could find a semi-detached for well under $200K. More expensive options abound, but they tend to be further away from the most-frum shuls.

Note you will probably need a car in Baltimore, unlike Brooklyn.

Baltimore has by far more violent crime per capita than any major city in America. I lived there until 5 years ago, my family is a mostly still there. I know 5 people who have had there cars stolen in baltimore recently. I still get shomrim notifications there, it’s rough. Many home invasions as well.
Yserbius123, no frum baltimoreans went to jail? What?!?!?! You must have your head deep deep deep in the sand

Baltimore is very much a neighborhood by neighborhood kind of city. the above referenced FBI stats does not inform a comparison between upper Park Heights and Borough Park. There are 3 types of untruths 1) lies, 2) darn lies, and 3) statistics.

As for the OP’s question, there are plenty of people in B-more wearing the latest shmatas and going to Pesach hotels.

If you are really considering moving here come for a visit. From the tone of your question I suggest staying in the Greenspring area.

All the crime statistics you are all citing are about Baltimore City. The frum community lives for the most part in Baltimore County right outside the border of the city. Sure there’s crime, mostly break-ins and the occasional car-jacking, but crime in the frum Baltimore County neighborhoods is far less significant than it is in Brooklyn.

I didn’t say no one in Baltimore went to prison, I just said I don’t know anyone who did. But I know plenty of people from Monsey, Brooklyn, and Lakewood who did. Joke. It was a joke on how Baltimore must be “out of town” because the frum oilom for the most part respects US law.

1. Due to its proximity to Washington DC, there are plentiful jobs both within the Federal Government and ancillary to it.
2. The cost of living, while high compared to many smaller midwestern communities, is relatively palatable.
3. Many choices for Schooling (Does NOT include all schools):
a. Boys Schools/high schools — Bais HaMedrash & Mesivta of Baltimore, Baltimore Torah School, Cheder Chabad, Mesivta N’eimus HaTorah, Ner Israel Rabbinical College, Talmudical Academy of Baltimore Inc., Torah Institute of Baltimore, Yeshivas Ahavas Torah, Yeshivas Lev Shlomo, Mesivta Kesser Torah
b. Girls Schools/high schools — Bais Yaakov School for Girls, Bnos Yisroel of Baltimore, Cheder Chabad
c. Orthodox community schools — Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School, Ohr Chadash Academy
4. Many choices for Davening/Shuls (NOT a comprehensive list)
Shomrei Emunah Congregation, Mercaz Torah U’Tefillah, Agudath Israel of Baltimore, Arugas HaBosem (Rabbi Taub’s), Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation, The Adas: Chofetz Chaim Adas Bnei Israel, Agudah of Greenspring / Adath Yeshurun Mogen Abraham, Chabad of Park Heights (Clarks Lane), Darchei Tzedek, Kehilath B’nai Torah, Khal Ahavas Yisroel/ Tzemach Tzedek, Kol Torah, Shearith Israel Congregation/ Glen Avenue Shul, Shomrei Emunah Congregation, Tiferes Yisroel, Beit Yaakov, Ner Tamid Greenspring Valley Synagogue, Ohel Moshe, Suburban Orthodox Congregation Toras Chaim, Magen David Sephardic Congregation, Ohr HaTorah, Bais Haknesses Ohr HaChaim, Beth Abraham, Agudath Israel of Baltimore, Bais Medrash of Ranchleigh, Beth Tfiloh Congregation, Moses Montefiore – Anshe, Emunah Greengate Jewish Center, Ohr Hamizrach, The Shul at the Lubavitch Center, Machzikei Torah (Sternhill’s)

All the crime statistics you are all citing are about Baltimore City. The frum community lives for the most part in Baltimore County right outside the border of the city. Sure there’s crime, mostly break-ins and the occasional car-jacking, but crime in the frum Baltimore County neighborhoods is far less significant than it is in Brooklyn.

This is certifiably false. Again, the FBI crime statistics demonstrate that Baltimore County has far higher and more violent crimes than Kings County (which is synonymous with Brooklyn.) As far as frum neighborhoods specifically, Frum Brooklyn (i.e. Borough Park, Midwood, Williamsburg) have some of the lowest crime rates in the United States, bar none. The local police precincts often have too much time on their hands unless they’re needed outside the precincts.

And secondly you’re downplaying the crime in the frum Baltimore neighborhoods (that some of your fellow former Baltimoreans told us about above) by dismissing them as merely “mostly break-ins and the occasional car-jacking”. Home break ins and carjackings are insignificant?!

Alizgitt- arguement about crime in Baltimore is not silly. I live in the heart of the frum community and there has been multiple muggings by gunpoint and carjackings this past year. Definitely more dangerous then the heart of the frum community in Brooklyn!!!!

Is TA a good school as I have seen much advertising for them but not for other schools?also whats summit park and stevenson and are there jews moving in there?Lastly is the rumor Gourmet Glatt is moving into the shoppers plaza true?

Park heights are is very out of townish , very simple.
You can see that many girls from Baltimore families tend to dress not new Yorky ..
However the other side of town is not as simple , there are some large houses and some nice cars etc
I think the community is more likely to judge the spending of money than in New York , everyone complains that there is no fancy restaurants yet there is not enough of a daily market to support such places.
You will probably find that is not out of towny but defenitely is not New York or LA in as far as materialistic outlook.
Outside of park heights you will have a bit of a sense that younger people 30-45 are more likely to have a New York influence.
The schools will have a mix of both tipes of families
I lived there for a while
Danger is not concerning as far as walking on shabs , is mostly certain areas of Baltimore not inside the Eruv.
Beazer is a development by a publicly traded company under that name , the houses are large and it is a novelty for Baltimore. Some people fear moving there because they might be judged , yet many are moving there and probably no one cares it is right next to all housing frum Jews have been in.. you can probably google it

“If, on the other hand, you want to continue caring about those things but don’t want to stay in New York, I’d recommend checking out Chicago. It’s much more New Yorky than Baltimore.”

The only thing New York about Chicago are the New Yorkers who’ve moved here .

“whereas Chicago is much more divisive. Chicago is also a huge city, and you feel it. Baltimore feels more like a small town.”

Um, Not.

Definitely an out-of-town lifestyle. There is one Vaad HaKashrus that is universally accepted, a proper eruv, and people will still greet a fellow Jew.

There are no school buses for yeshiva children in Baltimore and the entire frum population must arrange their day around carpooling, morning and evening. (Coincidentally, just about every Rav and Posek and Jewish leader in Baltimore was brought up in communities outside of Baltimore.)

I love how this thread became a big argument if Baltimore is a good city or not. I have relatives who currently live there and some who grew up there.
Any community outside of the NYC area is much more welcoming and non judgemental. I grew up outside of New York. In the Orthodox shul I went to, I had friends who were conservative and reform who went to the shul because the Rabbi and members were all kind and non judgemental. I’ve found that the larger the city, the more judgemental the people are. Saint Louis Park (Minneapolis suburb) was less judgemental than Chicago, which was less judgemental than New York. In the smaller communities people with different haskafic views are forced to interact with each other because of the limited amount of minyanim. In some shuls both the people wearing the knitted kippas and black hats will welcome other Jews wearing jeans and a t shirt because at the end of the day they realize that they all count equally towards a minyan.

Regarding Baltimore: None of my friends who grew up there would consider moving back to Baltimore to start a family. The crime does reach some of the Jewish areas. Its not a warzone like some other comments in this thread make it out to be. You just have to be aware that sometimes things can happen just like when you go through some parts of New York.

Can someone review the crime stats from the last 12 months? I’ve seen many scary muggings and other attacks in Boro Park and Williamsberg. Joseph?

Boro Park and Williamsburg are from the safest neighborhoods in NYC. And NYC is said to be the safest big city in the US.

The vast majority of the anti-Semitic crimes are yelling or property crimes that involve no assault.

Reb Yosef: I had forgotten that size does matter…..BTW Baltimore has multiple shuls mikvos but obviously not on the scale of Brooklyn or Lakewood

Phillip, please take your blood pressure med. It’s dangerously high.