As Anglo immigration grows, developers rethink ways to cultivate communal roots |
When The Times of Israel reported in December that a Jewish community in New York had purchased two entire residential towers under construction in central Jerusalem, many in the local real estate industry raised their eyebrows in shock.
For developers specializing in projects for English-speaking buyers abroad, however, the acquisition of 200 apartments for a tight-knit Sephardic community was a logical step in a market increasingly driven by foreign buyers.
Even as Israel’s domestic housing market cools amid rising costs and ongoing security concerns, demand from overseas has soared in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught and a global rise in antisemitism.
Now, with growing numbers of Diaspora Jews seeking a foothold in Israel, market players are rewriting the rules of real estate, reimagining community around rabbinic leadership, municipal planning and group purchasing models designed to their needs.
“Since October 7, a lot of North American Jewry clicked one notch closer to Israel,” said Marc Rosenberg, vice president of Diaspora partnerships at Nefesh B’Nefesh. “People who were thinking about moving or buying a home here in the distant future have started to come. But for many, making such a big move is outside of their comfort zones. Joining a community that they feel part of is one way to anchor themselves and feel connected.”
Despite the ideological attractions of moving to Israel, many American Jews harbor deep fears about exposing themselves to the challenges of life in Israeli society. Differences in language and cultural norms — from navigating bureaucracy to casual conversations— are frequent sources of anxiety that leave newcomers overwhelmed.
That’s why, for many new immigrants, the most appealing option is to live alongside others like them.
Some areas — including parts of central Jerusalem and towns like Beit Shemesh, Efrat and Modi’in — have long been known as immigrant “bubbles,” where newcomers hear English on the streets and interact with neighbors in familiar accents. But with 40,000 new immigrants arriving from North America over the past decade, the landscape of the English-speaking world is quickly expanding, said Esti Moskovitz Kalman, director of the Orthodox Union’s new Anglo Engagement department.
In recent years, mid-sized immigrant communities have developed in places such as Rehovot, Netanya and Ashdod, alongside smaller pockets including Nahariya, Zichron Yaakov and Pardes Chana, Moskovitz Kalman said. Neighborhoods like Carmei Gat, unheard of a decade ago, are now home to hundreds of English-speaking families with their own communal structures.
For a demographic that values ideals like unity and integration, it might seem counterintuitive for immigrants to fence themselves off into English-speaking “ghettos,” but the benefits are clear, many say.
“Some people will say that creating US-style communities here in Israel is too insular, but making aliyah is challenging, and having a base for a softer landing can be very helpful,” noted Rabbi Alex Israel, a popular teacher to the English-speaking community in Jerusalem, using the Hebrew word for immigration to Israel. “There’s always been this interesting tension between integrating into Israeli society and enjoying American-style comforts, and I think developing new models of tightly-knit communities will help drive a new wave of English-speaking immigration.”
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