onk ers , ▁New ▁York ▁in ▁West chester ▁County . ▁ ▁Description ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁ge ographic ▁characteristics ▁which ▁gives ▁all ▁of ▁River dale ▁its ▁sub urban ▁quality ▁is ▁that ▁it ▁lies ▁on ▁a ▁high ▁r idge ▁which ▁separ ates ▁it ▁from ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁The ▁highest ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁r idge , ▁at ▁ 2 8 4 . 5 ▁feet ▁above ▁sea ▁level , ▁lies ▁in ▁North ▁River dale , ▁near ▁Is elin ▁Avenue ▁and ▁ 2 5 0 th ▁Street . ▁North ▁River dale ▁has ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁" leaf y " ▁and ▁" sleep y " ▁and , ▁by ▁one ▁resident , ▁" the ▁last ▁bast ion ▁of ▁gra cious ▁living ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ." ▁ ▁The ▁neighborhood ▁is ▁generally ▁wealth y ▁and ▁mostly ▁free ▁of ▁serious ▁cr imes , ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁grand ▁the ft ▁auto . ▁ ▁It ▁features ▁a ▁mixture ▁of ▁private ▁resid ences ▁and ▁a partment ▁buildings . ▁▁ ▁Trad itionally ▁a ▁bast ion ▁of ▁Irish ▁C athol ics , ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁and ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁the ▁Sal anter ▁Ak iba ▁Academy ▁( S AR ) ▁High ▁School , ▁the ▁neighborhood ▁has ▁seen ▁an ▁infl ux ▁of ▁Orth odox ▁Jewish ▁families . ▁ ▁While ▁River dale ▁as ▁a ▁whole ▁has ▁long ▁had ▁a ▁s izable ▁Orth odox ▁Jewish ▁population ▁– ▁and ▁overall ▁is ▁pre domin antly ▁Jewish ▁– ▁North ▁River dale ▁has ▁not . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁residents ▁of ▁North ▁River