Bala Cynwyd, PA
The Main Line's Modern Orthodox center — five shuls along Montgomery Avenue, two day schools, its own eruv, and leafy Lower Merion housing a few minutes from Center City.
Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in Philadelphia
3 neighborhoods compared — 12 shuls, 2 kosher stores and restaurants, 5 day schools and 3 mikvaos on the map.
Greater Philadelphia's Orthodox community lives in three quite different places, and the choice between them is mostly a choice of style and budget. Bala Cynwyd, on the Main Line in Lower Merion, is the Modern Orthodox center: five shuls along Montgomery Avenue, two day schools and leafy suburban housing a few minutes from Center City.
Rhawnhurst, in Northeast Philadelphia, is the yeshivish community around Castor Avenue, with five shuls, House of Kosher, Politz Hebrew Academy and the most affordable frum housing in the area. Elkins Park, just north of the city line, is small and growing around Young Israel of Elkins Park and a yeshiva gedola, with its own mikvah and houses that cost well under the Main Line.
Map of Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in Philadelphia
Loading the Philadelphia map…
- Shul
- Walking radius (approx.)
Compare them side by side
| Guide | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bala Cynwyd, PA | 5 | · | 4 | 1 | $$$ | $632k | Moving guide → |
| Rhawnhurst, PA | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | $ | $294k | Moving guide → |
| Elkins Park, PA | 2 | 1 | · | 1 | $$ | $392k | Moving guide → |
The neighborhoods
Rhawnhurst, PA
Northeast Philadelphia's yeshivish community — five shuls around Castor Avenue, House of Kosher, Politz Hebrew Academy, its own eruv, and the most affordable frum housing in the Philadelphia area.
Elkins Park, PA
A small, growing Orthodox community north of the city — Young Israel of Elkins Park and a yeshiva gedola, with its own eruv and mikvah, and houses that cost well under the Main Line.
We're adding shuls, kosher places, schools and eruv detail across these communities all the time. Leave your email and we'll tell you when the map gains something where you're looking.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in Philadelphia?
ShulMap maps 3 Orthodox neighborhoods in Philadelphia: Bala Cynwyd, Rhawnhurst and Elkins Park. Together they have 12 shuls on the map, plus 2 kosher stores and restaurants, 5 day schools and 3 mikvaos. Each has its own page with a walkable shul map.
Which neighborhood in Philadelphia has the most shuls?
Bala Cynwyd and Rhawnhurst have the most on ShulMap, with 5 mapped each, followed by Elkins Park (2). Shul count is a rough guide to community size, not to fit — a smaller community with a daily minyan near housing you can afford may suit a family better than a bigger one.
Which is the most affordable Orthodox neighborhood in Philadelphia?
By the US Census median home value for each community's ZIP (2020–2024), Rhawnhurst ($293,700) is the most affordable in Philadelphia, followed by Elkins Park ($391,600), and Bala Cynwyd ($632,000) the most expensive. These are ZIP-wide figures as valued by owners — asking prices usually run higher, and each relocation guide says which sections cost what.
Which neighborhoods in Philadelphia have a mikvah and day schools?
ShulMap has mikvaos mapped in Bala Cynwyd, Rhawnhurst and Elkins Park. Day schools are mapped in Bala Cynwyd and Rhawnhurst. A community without one on the map may still have one we have not added yet, and families commonly use institutions in a neighboring community.
Is there an eruv in these neighborhoods?
It differs community by community, and ShulMap never infers one. Each community page carries its own eruv detail with the source and the date it was last checked. Always confirm with your local rav or the eruv hotline before carrying on Shabbos.
Walking distance: Walking-distance circles are approximate and do not assert a halachic standard. Confirm what is walkable for you locally.
ShulMap is an independent directory. Listings and routes are informational — verify all details directly with the source.