Buffalo, NY | Imamother

amother

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 12:14 pm

I've been offered a job in the Buffalo, NY area and am curious what people can tell me about Frum life there. I never see it mentioned on any of the "looking to move OOT" type threads, so I'm guessing the community is really tiny? There hasn't been a thread here in a few years so I figured I'd ask.

From a few minutes of googling, it looks like there are a couple of Chabads, a YI, and a MO synagogue. Plus a day school, but no high school.

We have young kids so the lack of HS isn't a deterrent right now. We're pretty low-key and fall somewhere between JPF and MO.

Anything anyone can share would be helpful!

amother

Floralwhite

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 12:26 pm

I don't live there but have family there so visit a few times a year. I only know the Amherst/Young Israel area, which sounds like it would be the right kind of community for you anyhow, so I'll say what I know about it and I recommend you reach out to Rabbi Okin at the Young Israel (Google it for his phone number) for more information, he is a relatively new rabbi there and he and his wife are wonderful.

- yes the community is very small, but very warm and close knit. There are other areas where there are other communities, such as in North Buffalo I think? I don't really know about them
- the school I know about is called Ohr Temimim, it's run by Chabad but a very friendly welcoming vibe, many non Chabad kids and teachers there. The people in the administration are some of the warmest, kindest people I have EVER known
- in terms of kosher there's a deli at a local supermarket (called Tops) which was recently revamped and has a great selection of prepared foods and fresh and frozen items, it's run by Buffalo Kosher Gourmet who also have a small cafe in the JCC, I've tasted food from both and it was delicious and prices are quite reasonable (a plain pizza pie was I think $22 recently)
- Buffalo in general is a great place to live, has a nice suburban feel and so many great places to see and things to do in the area - of course Niagara falls only ~25 minutes away but so many more things around town and just a short drive away!

In short, imo, wonderful place to live with great quality of life and a small extremely warm community.