REHOVOT
Rehovot is home to the world famous Weizmann Institute of Science, the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food & Environment (HUJI) and various hi-tech and biotech businesses that define the character of this “science-centric” modern city. Home to two academic institutes in addition to universities like Bar-Ilan and Tel-Aviv, Rehovot has adopted a young, trendy “University town” vibe. The ongoing influx of visiting academics from abroad helps to infuse the city with a truly international flavor.
A third of the population is religious, and 21% have an academic education. The city has a wonderfully warm Anglo Orthodox community with many shuls and kosher food establishments.
Neve Daniel
Neve Daniel is located about 18 kilometers (11 miles) southwest of Jerusalem. It is situated atop one of the highest points in the area, and offers views as far as Tel Aviv to the west and the mountains of Jordan to the east. The settlement is under the administration of the Gush Etzion Regional Council. The population has grown rapidly, and includes Olim from a variety of countries, including a significant percentage of English speakers. The majority of residents are Orthodox, and English speakers generally show a high level of interest in integrating with greater Israeli society.
Tzfat
Tzfat is not only one of Israel’s holiest cities, it is also the highest city in the Holy Land. Set in the dense pine forests of the Upper Galilee, overlooking Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee, Tzfat is a delicious blend of ancient grandeur and modern-day resort. For thousands of years, the ancient city of Safed was conquered and reconquered – always changing hands. Said to have been founded by one of Noah’s sons after the Great Flood, the city was inhabited by the local Semetic populations throughout the years. Josephus mentions Tzfat as Sepph, a fortified Jewish town in the Upper Galilee. Today, after years of conflict ranging from the Crusaders to the Mamlukes to the British, Tzfat survives – as pretty, vibrant and mystical as ever!
Hashmonaim
Hashmonaim is a beautiful and friendly Orthodox yishuv with a population over 900 families located north of Jerusalem just outside of Modiin. The yishuv began to grow in 1987 and has been the choice of many American olim over the past 20 years. Hasmonaim’s central location (25-minute drive from Jerusalem, 40-minute drive from Tel Aviv, 25-minute drive from Ben Gurion Airport, 10 minute drive from Modiin) makes this yishuv a perfect location for families who want to live right next to Israel’s main metropolitan areas. There is a nice mix of Sfardi and Ashkenazi families from Israel and all over the diaspora with good schools, shuls and community events. Join Kim Bash to meet Anglos living in all areas of Hashmonaim.
Carmei Gat
In just a few years, Carmei Gat has become the fastest growing young community for Anglos in Israel. The varied housing options, beautiful spacious environment, cutting-edge new amenities, excellent education, diverse residents and above all, the welcoming community, position Carmei Gat as an unparalleled option for those looking for a new a place to call home. One hour from Jerusalem and 40 Minutes from Tel Aviv with affordable housing, makes Carmei Gat a great place to check out! Join Kim Bash Real Estate and meet Anglo’s living in Carmei Gat and see some exciting new real estate opportunities.
Ramot Bet
In addition to being one of the biggest neighborhoods in Jerusalem, Ramot (Hebrew for “heights”) is also one of the most diverse. The six sections of Ramot differ wildly from one another, just as the 40,000 people who live there come from a wide variety of backgrounds. What they share is the panoramic view, because Ramot was built hundreds of meters above sea level. Ramot is one of the newer Jerusalem neighborhoods, as construction first began in the 1970s. The different sections of Ramot were built by different architects and for differing purposes. Ramot Aleph (or Ramot One) was built for families of moderate income. The result is an area of attached, tiered apartment buildings, which together resemble a giant beehive.
Residents of these apartments tend to be Orthodox Jews with large families, even though the apartments themselves are not that big. In sharp contrast, Ramot Bet (Ramot Two) boasts rows of spacious private homes. Living in a private house, and in particular an unattached house, is a luxury in Jerusalem, where the majority of people live in apartments.
Ramot Bet is therefore known as a prosperous neighborhood, populated mainly with a mix of Modern Orthodox and secular Jews. Many English-speaking immigrants choose to live in Ramot Bet, since the lifestyle is similar to that which they left behind. The remaining four neighborhoods of Ramot present variations of the spectrum between these two extremes.
Ramot Six, for example, is comprised of private homes, but most of these are attached and not as large as the houses in Ramot Bet.
Modiin
Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut is an Israeli city located in central Israel, about 35 kilometres southeast of Tel Aviv and 30 kilometres west of Jerusalem, and is connected to those two cities via Highway 443. In 2019 the population was 93,277.
Modi’in is designed with four major tiers: a residential area, the main business center, an industrial park, and an employment area, all of which are surrounded by greenery. A master plan was drawn for a superbly designed city covering 50 thousand dunams – half in builtup areas and half in green areas. According to the final plan for the city, it is designed to accommodate a population of approximately a quarter of a million inhabitants. The residential neighborhoods are built around the city’s core – the main municipal business center, where the Modi’in Central Railway Station and the Azrieli Modi’in Mall are currently located. In the future, the center will house the municipality building and many public institutions, as well as business and commercial sites. There are also commercial centers located throughout the residential neighborhoods. The city’s cemetery – a final resting place for its local residents – lies near the treetops/trees of the Ben Shemen forest.