It was 2011, and we had to move from our home. Raleigh, NC was a great place but was not meeting our religious needs. While we wanted to avoid a huge community in the New York area, staying on the East Coast was necessary, so I could continue to operate my small law firm in Raleigh.
Luckily we found Wynnewood, PA.
Find out more about Wynnewood at the OU Jewish Communities Fair on April 30
As part of the larger Jewish Philadelphia area community, it had the necessary infrastructure we needed while being far more affordable than other communities in the Philadelphia area. We were able to find a house equivalent to our Raleigh home and within our budget.
I started working on building up a real estate settlement practice in Pennsylvania while still commuting to North Carolina. We moved in September 2011, and it took some time to obtain my Pennsylvania law license and to start my settlement company. Within a year, I had my first Pennsylvania clients – a couple from our Shul were refinancing. By the end of the year, I had two more clients through connections made through Shul. The following year, a larger lender who saw my advertisement on the Jewish community listserv started sending me clients and my practice continued to grow due to community connections.
Fast forward six years. My practice here has grown each year steadily, and I was able to close my North Carolina practice. I receive numerous referrals from two of the Orthodox realtors in the Jewish community, and community Rabbis have helped as well. It has enabled me to give back to the community shuls and be active with local tzedakah organizations.
All three of our children have attended Torah Academy since we moved. Our oldest son is getting ready for High School and can choose between two highly regarded schools in the area. Wynnewood is our new home.
The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.