IR YAMIM
Ir Yamim is a large area in the southwestern part of Netanya, built with the sea as its focal point. Proximity to the sea assures its success, according to real estate developers. Netanya is the favorite destination for many overseas residents who want a holiday home in Israel; it is located in the center of the country and is a seaside town. In relation to the total population, Netanya has the largest number of overseas residents. According to rough estimates, it has an overseas population of nearly 9 percent, most of whom have a house or an apartment that they use as a holiday home. Ir Yamim was designed with these people in mind. Its high-standard design and construction has much in common with the modern architectural motifs of Mediterranean seaside towns. Ir Yamim has nature on three sides: to the west, the Mediterranean Sea; to the south, the Poleg Nature Reserve; and to the east, the Irusim Nature Reserve. The buildings are designed so that the maximum number of apartments have sea views. As is typical of a quality development near the sea, the dwellings are not cheap – and they’re not meant to be. The closer an apartment in Ir Yamim is to the seashore, the more it costs.
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.
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!
Elezar
Elazar is a town located near Efrat in the Judean Mountains with a population of 350 families.
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.
Harish
Harish is located on green hills close to the Iron interchange on Highway 6, at a height of 110 meters above sea level, and a driving distance of 10 minutes from Pardes Hanna-Karkur.
The city’s origin is in Kibbutz Harish, established in the ’80s and abandoned in the early ’90s .After the kibbutz’ evacuation, the Ministry of Construction and Housing laid down preliminary infrastructure for the development of the city of Harish. Additionally, as part of the plan to unify local authorities, a unified local council was established for the communities of Katzir and Harish, despite the relatively large distance between them.
In recent years, especially after the paving of Highway 6, the region saw a significant increase in the demand for housing among young couples and families, who found a home in the surrounding kibbutzim and the various communities in the Pardes Hanna-Karkur area. Harish’s proximity to Highway 6, its location in the heart of the green Iron hills that enjoy continuous air flow and low humidity levels relative to the coastal plain, created renewed interest in the town’s development.
On September 01, 2016, with the establishment of four primary schools and 20 kindergartens and day care centers, the first year of studies opened in Harish. On September 2018, more than 2,600 children attended the city’s 4 schools and 42 kindergartens. Secondary schools, as well as other schools and kindergartens are expected to open later, following the pace of population growth.
During 2017, the main commercial avenue opened (Derech Eretz Ave.) which today includes a supermarket, a variety of shops, sick fund branches, fast food, cafés and more. During 2021, the number of citizens living in Harish reached 25,000.
As a new city, Harish has become an exceptional solution in Israel for young couples and families looking for quality housing at affordable prices, in close proximity and with accessibility to the center of the country.
Efrat
Considered the capital of Gush Etzion, it had a population of 10,806 in 2019. Modern Efrat was established in 1983 by Moshe Moskovits, who became the first mayor of Efrat and Shlomo Riskin, an Orthodox rabbi from New York City who settled in Efrat and became its Chief rabbi.
Efrat’s population are mainly religious Zionist, with a small number of ultra-orthodox and of non-observant residents. There are more than twenty Orthodox synagogues, mainly Ashkenazi, but a Sephardi and a Yemenite synagogue also exist and there are several Yeshivot, and Kollelim. The population includes native-born Israelis, and immigrants who have made aliyah from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, France, South Africa, Argentina, The Netherlands, Canada, and Russia.
Efrat is made up of seven neighborhoods named for the Seven Species: Rimon (pomegranate), Te’ena (fig), Gefen (grapevine), Dekel (date palm), Zayit (olive), Tamar (date), and Dagan (grain – symbolizing both wheat and barley).