Beersheba Emerges as Affordable Housing Option for Haredi Families
The southern Israeli city of Beersheba is being presented as a viable and affordable housing solution for Haredi families, particularly the "kollel" (yeshiva students) community, due to its lower property prices and robust infrastructure.
The author, who travels extensively to find affordable housing solutions, recently visited Beersheba to assess its suitability for Haredi families who do not own cars. He highlighted the city's efficient public transportation, including direct bus routes to Jerusalem and a train station within walking distance of potential residential areas, as key advantages.
A recent emergency conference in Bnei Brak, attended by hundreds of Haredi men, discussed the challenges of housing and marriage for young families. Speakers, including Rabbi Eliezer Yutkovsky, emphasized the rising costs of housing in other parts of Israel, citing examples of properties that have quadrupled in value. Yutkovsky also pointed to Beersheba as a regional employment hub, attracting workers from surrounding towns.
Rabbi Yisrael Kind, chairman of the Housing Committee of Communities, conveyed the endorsement of prominent rabbis, stating that Beersheba was chosen after extensive research as the most advantageous location. The city offers ample space between buildings and numerous vacant institutions suitable for religious use. The potential for urban renewal projects in older buildings is also seen as a future benefit.
While Beersheba presents opportunities for employment, particularly for women in the north and south, and has a thriving Torah institution led by Rabbi Avraham Steinberg, the primary draw is its affordability. The article contrasts the cost of new apartments in other developing Haredi communities, which can exceed 1.2 million shekels, with the availability of over a thousand existing apartments in Beersheba priced significantly lower, potentially around 700,000 shekels. This allows for more manageable mortgages, estimated at 1,500 shekels per month, compared to the 5,000-8,000 shekels common elsewhere.
The author concludes that Beersheba offers a combination of affordability, quality of life, and comprehensive urban services, including a major hospital and government offices, making it an attractive alternative to the escalating housing crisis faced by many Haredi families.
