Who We Are

Wesley Hills, or Spring Valley as the post office occasionally likes to call it, Monsey, Rockland County, or Suffern, will always be a home to me. My house, lying on the border of two cities, far away from my school in Jersey, has special, unique warmth and privacy to me. There is no one way to describe it, and different names need to be given to explain this tiny city, all depending on who I speak with. To my school friends, I live in Wesley Hills. I used to think that Wesley Hills, sounding similar to Beverly Hills, would make my school friends take the drive upstate to see me. Their homes are more ‘central’ and easy to get to. However, I wouldn’t give up Wesley Hills for the world. It is the postal center of my world–no matter which city you write on the envelope, it will go to the same place. Living in Wesley Hills for means great privacy, location, family, community, suburbs, and religion. Only an hour outside New York City, Wesley hills prides itself on remaining a hidden paradise of traditional suburban families. I cherish my family day hiking trips to bear mountain, our private street, my large backyard for family parties and soccer games, and the local parks. I grew up playing backyard soccer and colt-a-sac kickball with my siblings and neighbors, which stimulated my passion for sports. We would all walk down the hill from the school bus, go to our one kosher marketplace for groceries, ride our bikes in the many local parks. At night, we hear the sounds of the crickets chirping, and a starry open sky. We have deer in our yards, trees that change colors with seasons, and the best snowfalls in all NY. During winter months, we have our own sledding hills, and, during summer months, our own swimming pools. My favorite time of the week is on Saturday morning when my family and other members of the community gather at the community synagogue for religious services. Despite the hectic week, Wesley Hills always provided me a dedicating religious experience. As a college student, I have gravitated to a Manhattan lifestyle. I love culture, museums, Broadway shows, and people. While I know that living in this big city fulfills a life dream, I know I will always dream at best in the serene, earthy, and familiar Wesley Hills I call home.