This Jewish community will pay Orthodox families $50,000 to move to Providence's East Side

Providence's Orthodox Jewish community is hoping to grow its numbers – and, in light of the rising cost of housing, is offering a $50,000 subsidy to new families who move here.

Those families will also receive a year of free tuition at Providence Hebrew Day School for each of their children, plus a $1,000 move-in stipend that they can spend on movers, grocers, babysitting, or whatever else they need.

"It’s really about affordability, that's what this is all about," said Rabbi Peretz Scheinerman, the dean of Providence Hebrew Day School. "The East Side has just become unaffordable for the average young Orthodox family with a couple of kids."

Orthodox Jews don't drive on the Sabbath, which means that they need to live within walking distance of an Orthodox synagogue, Scheinerman explained. That limits the number of places where they can live – and, locally, the East Side of Providence and nearby Oak Hill neighborhood in Pawtucket fit the bill.

But numerous families have left the area in recent years, Scheinerman said. As a result, enrollment at Providence Hebrew Day School has suffered.

The local community is hoping to reverse that trend, and has launched a new website, jewishprovidence.com, to promote the city. Scheinerman said that they've received a grant for the recruitment initiative, and will be looking to sponsor between five to 10 families, "depending on the funding."

Why is Providence's Orthodox Jewish community shrinking?

About 15 Orthodox families have left Providence in the past year, Beth Abrahim, a member of the recruitment committee, told Jewish Rhode Island.

Scheinerman said that housing costs are a major factor, especially since Orthodox Jews typically have large families. Additionally, he said, families that move to states like Ohio and Florida can benefit from school choice initiatives that will largely cover the cost of tuition at private Jewish day schools.

"All those things, put together, are a big nut to crack," he said.

There's also a "domino effect," Scheinerman said. As class sizes dwindle and children see their friends moving away, other families may choose to leave so that they can be part of a larger community.

"Within the Orthodox world, many smaller communities are struggling with this," he said.

Not all Orthodox Jews are the same: There are subgroups such as Modern Orthodox Jews and Haredi Jews (sometimes referred to as ultra-Orthodox Jews). Scheinerman said that the local community is "a big mix."

Currently, approximately 35 "frum," or strictly religiously observant, families currently live in Providence and Pawtucket, according to the website for the recruitment initiative. However, Scheinerman thinks the number of Orthodox families is actually significantly larger than that.

"We used to say 100 to 150," he said, adding, "It’s definitely down."

'Jewish Providence' campaign aims to draw newcomers to city

Scheinerman, who moved from Los Angeles 22 years ago, feels that Providence has much to offer observant Jews.

"Providence, as a whole, has been a pretty amazing community for Orthodox life," he said.

As the promotional website points out, we're only a few hours away from New York City and other areas with large Orthodox Jewish communities, such as Lakewood, New Jersey and Monsey, New York. And housing costs are still lower than in many major metropolitan areas.

"You can commonly find a 3 bedroom/2 bathroom house for about $650K," states the website. "With our recruitment program, we are able to heavily subsidize your down payment."

The East Side and Oak Hill area is home to several Orthodox synagogues, Providence Hebrew Day School, the New England Academy of Torah Girls High School, and kosher dining options such as Bubbie's Market on Hope Street, the website notes. There's also a mikvah, or ritual bath, at the Jewish Community Center.

The recruitment campaign also emphasizes the benefits of being part of a tight, close-knit community. In a promotional video, a woman describes meeting four different people on her way to Bubbie's Market, and coming home with "two Shabbos invitations, a new babysitter contact, and a loaf of challah fresh from the oven."

"Now that's Jewish Providence," she says in a voiceover.

Scheinerman said that the Orthodox community is spending "a substantial amount of money" on Facebook and podcast ads to promote the recruitment campaign.

The initiative is mainly being directed by people from Providence Hebrew Day School, he said. However, there are "a lot of people" from across the local community who are involved.

"This is not a movement of one or two people," he said. "This is a grassroots movement of multiple families."

How families can apply for the $50k incentive

Families interested in taking advantage of the financial incentives to move to Providence are directed to fill out an online form at jewishprovidence.com that asks about their professions, their children, their rabbi, and the name of the synagogue that they currently belong to.

"How would you define yourself religiously? Please share in your own words," the application also asks.

If accepted, they'll be connected with a "community welcome specialist" who can help them with finding jobs, housing, and daycare, and setting up doctors' appointments, the recruitment website states. In addition to free tuition, they'll also receive free membership at their choice of synagogue for one year.

The $50,000 housing subsidy is intended to be used towards a down payment on a home, the website indicates. In exchange, families are asked to make a commitment to remain in Providence for at least six years. They can also use the money for rent assistance after their first year in Providence.

Scheinerman noted that families will have to go through a vetting process, and, ideally, visit in person. There's no guarantee that those who apply will be accepted.

"We're looking for people who, with our help, can afford to live here – as well as making sure there’s a match of the resources of the school to the needs of the family," he said.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Orthodox Jewish families can get $50k for relocating to Providence