At the First Reformed Church of the Palisades, whose white steeple was erected by Dutch settlers in the 1860s, Sunday mornings are still reserved for English-language worship. But in the afternoon, the Rev. Churl Yeon Kim leads members of the Eden Presbyterian Church, a Korean congregation, in prayer. 3's calendar of events includes regular meetings of the Korean Parents Group and special functions such as a recital by Harmony Basket, a choral group comprising Japanese parents. The schools' mix of languages and cultures contributes to an unusual sense of chemistry. On the playground, it's not uncommon to see children of various races playing kongki, a Korean game similar to jacks.
Students also pick up bits of each other's native tongues.
But for all the changes in the neighborhood, many newcomers say they are attracted by some of the very qualities that drew earlier arrivals, mostly the chance to be on New York's doorstep while enjoying some breathing room. Just ask Kumi Osawa, whose family has lived in the neighborhood since her husband, Nobuhiko, was transferred here from Japan four years ago. Before moving here from Osaka, the family lived in a high-rise where space was at a premium, not just inside their tiny apartment but even in the building's garage. Now, the family has not one but two cars, both of which they park at home, and the duplex they rent has a backyard and three times as much floor space as they had in Osaka. The attractions are similar for the neighborhood's Korean families.