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.
Be’er Sheva
Be’er Sheva is Israel’s fourth-most populated city located in the south near the Negev Desert. The city is a mix of Sephardi, Mizrahi, and Ashkenazi families as well as diverse population of Jews from India, Russia, Ethiopia and now the United States. The game of chess is very popular in Be’er Sheva so much that it’s become Israel’s national chess center, with more chess grandmasters per capita than any other city in the world. Be’er Sheva is also home to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. This city also serves as a center for Israel’s high-tech and developing technology industry. There is a lot of new construction, schools, shuls of all kinds, modern shopping centers, and walking paths, with low cost housing options.
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.
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).
Elezar
Elazar is a town located near Efrat in the Judean Mountains with a population of 350 families.
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.
Tel Mond
Founded over 80 years ago, Tel Mond has developed into a unique suburb with both religious and secular residents. Located in the heart of the Sharon region, Tel Mond is home to a vibrant and active Anglo community. Residents of Tel Mond benefit from being only kilometers away from high-tech job opportunities, shopping centers, and the beach, while also being able to enjoy the calm and luxury of living in a suburban community. Commutable to Tel Aviv and Netanya makes this a very attractive location.