Moving to Washington Heights: a practical guide
Housing and what it costs
Washington Heights is the most affordable of Manhattan’s Orthodox neighborhoods, which is the main reason young couples come. Housing is almost entirely apartments — large pre-war buildings, many with more space for the money than anywhere further downtown — and most of the community rents. Figures change fast — use the apartment search above for live listings.
Picking a block
The Orthodox community sits in the northern part of the neighborhood. Bennett Avenue is its spine: Beth Medrash Beth Joseph, K’hal Adath Jeshurun (Breuer’s), Mount Sinai Jewish Center and Beth Medrash Yeshurun all sit along it between roughly West 180th and West 190th Streets, with Chabad of Washington Heights on Overlook Terrace just west. Yeshiva University’s campus is a few blocks east on Amsterdam Avenue, and Congregation Beth Hamedrash Hagadol is further south on West 175th Street. Living near Bennett Avenue keeps several shuls a short walk away; the neighborhood is hilly, so check the walk, not just the distance.
Kosher and daily life
There are kosher restaurants and groceries near Yeshiva University and along the neighborhood’s main avenues, though fewer than in the Upper West Side or Brooklyn, and many families shop downtown or in Riverdale too. The A train runs along Fort Washington Avenue to Midtown. The Mikvah of Washington Heights is on Broadway.
Schools
The Yeshiva Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, the K’hal Adath Jeshurun school on Bennett Avenue, runs from pre-K through high school. Yeshiva University’s High School for Boys (MTA) is on Amsterdam Avenue. Many families with older children use schools in Riverdale or Bergen County. Confirm current admissions and transportation directly with each school.
Who it fits
Newlyweds, young couples and Yeshiva University families who want to live in Manhattan without Manhattan’s downtown rents, and anyone drawn to the Breuer’s kehilla and its German-Jewish tradition. Many families stay a few years and move on to Riverdale, Teaneck or Bergen County when they need more space.