Our updated facilities include full-service meat and dairy kitchens that serve everything from bagel breakfasts to exquisite weddings, gala events, and others simchas. We also house a beautiful mikvah. We are extremely fortunate that the UOS Goldberg Montessori School, a wonderful preschool that embraces traditional Montessori methods in conjunction with a complete Judaic curriculum, calls UOS home.
Our Neighborhood
UOS members who wish to live within walking distance to UOS can choose from a variety of housing options, from apartments to multi-million dollar custom homes. We have an Eruv, which is under regular supervision by our rabbi, Rabbi Barry Gelman, and an Eruv Committee. Click here to view the UOS Eruv map.
On the north side of Willow Meadows, a biking/hiking trail lines Braes Bayou. Joggers and bikers can be seen on the trail at almost any time of day. On the South Side of Willow Meadows, Willow Park, a recently renovated park, offers a wide range of playground equipment and playing fields. Willow Meadow’s Maintenance and Beautification Committee constantly works to maintain and heighten the aesthetics of our surroundings with its varied beautification programs. Willow Meadows’ Security Committee oversees the off-duty, Houston Police Department part-time employees who patrol the neighborhood in WMCC patrol cars and provide Willow Meadows’ residents a high degree of security. Click here for a map of Willow Meadows.
For those not ready to purchase a home, there are several beautiful and safe apartment complexes located within the UOS eruv. To find out more, click here.
Kosher Food in Houston
You will not go hungry here in Houston! We are proud of our meat, dairy, and vegetarian restaurants, supermarkets with full kosher butchershops, delis, and bakeries, and several stand-alone bakeries. All are under the strict supervision of our local vaad, the Houston Kashruth Association. For a full listing of our kosher establishments, please visit our Kosher in Houston page.
Jewish Education in Houston
In addition to the UOS Goldberg Montessori School, Houston is fortunate to have several Jewish day schools. Robert M. Beren Academy is a modern Orthodox day school that serves students from pre-school through the 12th grade on a beautiful 52-acre campus only two miles from UOS. Its excellent Judaic and secular studies curriculum provides a solid foundation for its students.
Why Houston?
One of the main attractions to Houston is the amazing array of professional opportunities. Coupled with a very favorable cost of living, especially when compared to cities of similar size around the country, Houston is a great place to live and work. For a good comparison of the Houston cost of living to your current location, please check the following website: www.swz.salary.com/costoflivingwizard. Keep in mind that Houston does not have any local or state income taxes, a big plus.
What makes Houston a great City to live in?
The sunshine. Being able to play golf 365 days a year. A truly diverse culture. Great educational opportunities. The people. Houston’s quality of life makes it one of the best places in the world. From business opportunities to recreation, from high culture to haute cuisine, Houston has it all.
Consider:
- Houston has more than 650 city and county parks with all sorts of amenities including walking trails, playgrounds, pools, dog parks and community centers.
- Houston offers residents three new, high-tech sports arenas, home to baseball, basketball, hockey and football teams.
- Houston is one of the few cities in the country with resident companies for all four major performing arts: ballet, drama, opera and symphony.
- Houston is a shopper’s paradise. From the glorious Galleria mall with high-end boutiques and quality national chains to the trendy shops in Montrose and the Heights, you’ll find something for every taste here in Houston.
- Whether you choose high-rise living, an apartment community or a brand new home, you have thousands of options to suit your tastes and your budget.
- Houston has one of the lowest costs of living anywhere in the country. Houston’s housing costs in cities of more than two million people are 44 percent below the national average. Its cost of living costs are 23 percent below the average.
- Houston’s weather is a fantastic mix of sunshine and more sunshine. The region averages 59% of possible sunshine annually, ranging from 45% in January to 70% in July. The average annual temperature 69.9 degrees, with highs in the summer averaging 84 degrees and winter lows averaging about 50 degrees.
- Houston is smart. From magnet schools that offer young people opportunities in the performing arts and the health care professions to top colleges and universities, Houston’s intellectual community will expand your knowledge and expose you to great ideas.
Facts about relocating or expanding your business in Houston.
Houston is business friendly. In addition to providing an excellent environment for startup and small- and mid-size companies, the Houston region is known worldwide as a major corporate center.
The evidence:
- Twenty-four companies
- on the 2006 Fortune 500 list are headquartered in Houston. Many other Fortune 500 companies maintain U.S. administrative headquarters in Houston.
- Four 2005 Fortune 100 Fastest-growing Companies are headquartered in Houston.
- Of the world’s 100 largest non-U.S. based corporations, at least 51 have non-retail operations in Houston.
- Houston is an entrepreneurial region and has a solid workforce.
- With more than 2.6 million workers in the Houston metro area, the region has an ample supply of workers to meet any employer’s need – now and in the future.
- Sales & Marketing Management’s 2003 Survey of Buying Power showed Houston as having the lowest median age among the nation’s 10 largest metro areas, making it less susceptible than other areas to a shortage of entry-level workers. The median age of Houston workers is 33.0 compared to the national median age of 36.0.
- Houston’s amenities and quality of life draw a skilled, well-educated workforce.
- Houston’s transportation infrastructure makes it a logical choice for corporate offices and distribution centers.
- Houston’s freeway system includes 575.5 miles of freeways and expressways in the 10-county metro area. The State of Texas plans to spend $5.06 billion on Houston area highways between 2002 and 2007.
- The Houston airport system ranks fourth nationally and sixth worldwide in passenger volume. Also, George Bush Intercontinental Airport is ranked as the 11th largest international air-cargo gateway to the United States.
- The Houston Ship Channel, a 52-mile inland waterway, connects the Houston area with markets throughout the world. The Port of Houston is the world’s sixth largest and routinely ranks first in the nation in volume of foreign tonnage and second in the nation in total tonnage.
- Houston is one of the nation’s busiest rail centers, with 12 mainline tracks radiating from Houston.
- Houston has an extensive professional services infrastructure.
- This includes not only the accounting and legal professions but also firms that deal with finance and venture capital, management consulting, placement and media/public relations.
- Known as the Energy Capital of the World, Houston is a dominant provider of accounting and legal firms that also specialize in providing services to the oil and gas industry.
- The region’s accounting services cater to the medical technology industries.
- Houston is the academic center of the Southwest.
- More than 300,000 students in the region are enrolled in more than 60 degree-granting colleges, universities, institutes, and technical schools in the fall of 2004.
- The Texas Medical Center, Rice University, University of St. Thomas, Texas Southern University, Houston Baptist University, The University of Houston and Houston Community College are just a few of the region’s major institutions of higher learning.
- Houston has a well-developed high-tech infrastructure.
- Houston is a leader in transferring to the private sector technology developed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC), the Texas Medical Center and area universities.
- Much of Houston’s high-tech activity is involved in energy exploration and production and related manufacturing. Examples are three- and four-dimensional imaging and sophisticated drilling techniques.
- A vibrant software industry centers on Houston’s strengths in energy, medicine and aerospace.
- Technological expertise emanating from the medical center has supported the emergence of many biotechnology and medical-related companies.
- JSC markets space technology for licensing and research and development.
- Industry Week has ranked Houston as a Gold Medal World-Class community for manufacturing.
- Houston has a strong international presence.
- More than 3,500 firms and organizations trading more than 250 types of products and services report international business activities in more than 200 countries.
